A Ryanair flight to Exeter was forced to divert in a mid-air emergency after a "problem with the aircraft." The plane, which took off from Faro in Portugal, was bound for Exeter Airport but had to change course on Wednesday evening.
Flight FR8030 was scheduled to land at 6.55pm at Exeter Airport but instead was diverted to Birmingham. Speaking to DevonLive, passenger Davina said the pilot "made an announcement we were landing in five minutes" before the plane ascended and circled a few times.
Davina continued: "Then an announcement was made that due to a problem with the aircraft, we needed a longer runway and we were being diverted to Birmingham. The pilot and cabin crew were very professional and helpful, but tensions were very high."
Distress signal and landing
The cause of the diversion is not known, but flight tracking data suggests a 7700 alert was issued - a distress signal that communicates an emergency situation to air traffic controllers. Flight trackers show the plane flew over Exeter, circled, then continued north to Birmingham where it landed. As the plane touched down, blue-light landing-precaution vehicles immediately followed.
Normally a squawk code of 7700 is issued to warn air traffic control of an emergency on board. This gives priority to the aircraft to come into land and emergency services would be waiting for it on the ground. It is a general emergency code and so doesn't specify what the problem is on board. It is a "catch-all" for any emergency situation that isn't a hijacking (7500) or radio failure (7600).
Aftermath and Ryanair statement
Pictures taken in Birmingham show crews on the runway inspecting the plane's wing, but the specific problem with the plane is not clear. It is understood Ryanair organised coaches which picked up passengers from Birmingham and took them to Exeter Airport. In a statement to passengers, Ryanair said it was "forced to divert [the] flight to Birmingham" but did not confirm the cause of the diversion. The Mirror has contacted Ryanair for comment.
