An RAF aircraft declared a general emergency while flying over Liverpool on Monday morning after a bird strike. The T-6 aircraft, which had departed from Anglesey Airport (RAF Valley), transmitted the 7700 squawk code — a silent 'Mayday' used to signal an in-flight emergency requiring immediate priority handling.
Emergency Procedure and Response
The 7700 code prompts air traffic control to clear surrounding airspace and alert emergency services on the ground. The aircraft is then directed to the nearest appropriate runway. Flight RRR59/VYT59, operated by a T-6 Texan T Mk1 (ZM343), returned to base around 30 minutes later, touching down just before 9:20am.
Aircraft and Crew Safety
The Beechcraft Texan T-6 is a single-engine turboprop used for basic flight training at RAF Valley, where first student pilots completed training in 2020. An RAF spokesperson confirmed: "A RAF Texan T Mk 1 aircraft from RAF Valley suffered a bird strike this morning on a regular training flight. The aircraft subsequently returned to base and landed without further incident. There were no injuries to the crew."
