A US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft, a submarine hunter, declared an emergency over the UK this morning (October 15). The aircraft issued a 7700 squawk code shortly after departing RAF Lossiemouth in Moray at 7am.
Flight path and return to base
The aircraft was tracked flying south over Central Scotland before making a U-turn. It then returned to Lossiemouth. The nature of the emergency is currently unknown, according to the Daily Record.
Aircraft and base background
The Poseidon P-8 is used extensively by the US Navy, the UK Royal Air Force (operating as the Poseidon MRA1), and allied nations for long-range maritime patrol, intelligence, surveillance, and anti-submarine warfare.
RAF Lossiemouth serves as the primary home base for the UK's Poseidon fleet and frequently hosts integrated US Navy P-8A operations and support facilities covering the North Atlantic.
The US Navy and the Ministry of Defence have been approached for comment.
