Passengers on a Jet2 flight from Glasgow to Lanzarote faced an unexpected detour when the aircraft was forced to divert to Portugal following a medical emergency on board.
Flight Details and Diversion
Jet2 flight LS167 departed Glasgow Airport at approximately 3:30pm on Thursday, bound for Arrecife Airport in Lanzarote. However, about two and a half hours into the journey, while cruising at 37,000 feet off the Portuguese coast, the crew declared an emergency and changed course for Faro Airport in the Algarve.
The pilots issued a squawk 7700 emergency signal, an internationally recognized code that alerts air traffic control to an emergency and grants the aircraft priority to land. Emergency services were deployed as a precaution. According to aviation website AirLive, the diversion was prompted by a passenger medical emergency.
Landing and Arrival
Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed the aircraft flying south over the Atlantic Ocean along Portugal's west coast before making a sharp turn and descending rapidly toward Faro. The Boeing 737-800 touched down safely at around 6:20pm local time, where it remained on the ground for approximately two hours.
After the unscheduled stop, the flight departed Faro at around 8pm and continued to Lanzarote, arriving at Arrecife Airport at approximately 9:35pm. It is not known whether the passenger requiring medical assistance continued the journey or remained in Portugal for treatment.
The Daily Record has contacted Jet2 for comment.
