A Ryanair flight from Portugal to Devon was diverted to Birmingham after a last-minute problem with the aircraft's wing. The plane, flight FR8030 from Faro, was scheduled to land at Exeter Airport at 6.55pm on July 22 but instead touched down in Birmingham.
Passengers describe tense moments
Passenger Davina said the pilot announced they would land in five minutes, but then the plane ascended and circled several times. “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,” she said. “The pilot and cabin crew were very professional and helpful, but tensions were very high.”
The cause of the diversion has not been confirmed, but a flight spotters group on social media suggested a squawked 7700 alert, a distress signal indicating an emergency to air traffic controllers.
Plane inspected on runway
Flight trackers show the plane flew over Exeter, circled, and then continued north to Birmingham. As it landed, blue-light landing-precaution vehicles followed. Pictures taken in Birmingham show crews inspecting the plane's wing on the runway.
Ryanair organised coaches to take passengers from Birmingham to Exeter. In a statement, Ryanair said it was “forced to divert [the] flight to Birmingham” but did not confirm the cause. Ryanair and Exeter Airport have been contacted for comment.
