BA flight from London in emergency landing after ‘cockpit fills with fumes’
Pilots on Canada-bound plane reportedly needed oxygen masks
A British Airways flight from Heathrow to Canada was forced to make an emergency landing last night after smoke and fumes was reported in the cockpit.
The plane, carrying around 200 passengers, “was almost six hours into the eight-hour flight” when it was diverted, says The Sun.
Flight BA103 had departed London at 6.30pm and was due to land at Calgary International Airport, in Alberta, at 8.15pm local time (12.15am GMT). But instead, it was diverted to an airport in the remote Canadian city of Iqaluit, where fire crews rushed to the runway.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Video footage “showed emergency vehicles surrounding the flight after it landed”, says the Daily Mirror.
Canadian media said the plane’s pilots wore oxygen masks as they landed at Iqaluit Airport, on Baffin Island in the Nunavit terrority.
Aviation journalist Tom Podolec tweeted: “Burning smell/fumes in cockpit. Pilots wore oxygen masks. A passenger had a sore arm; treated by medics.”
Iqaluit Airport “primarily serves domestic flights, but over the years there have been a number of emergency landings from international flights, or stopovers for flights that needed to refuel”, says CBC News.
According to local newspaper Nunatsiaq News, passengers on the diverted BA plane were taken to hotels on school buses, before boarding a replacement aircraft to Calgary this morning.
In an emailed statement to the paper, BA said: “We are very sorry for the delays to customers’ travel plans as a result of a technical fault with one of our aircraft.
“We are caring for the affected customers. The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Shardlake: a 'tightly plotted, gorgeously atmospheric piece of television'
The Week Recommends Arthur Hughes captivates in this 'eminently watchable' Tudor murder mystery
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Major League Baseball is facing an epidemic of pitcher's injuries
Under the Radar Many insiders are blaming the pitch clock for the rise in injuries — but the league is not so sure
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
8 movie musicals that prove the screen can share the stage
The Week Recommends The singing and dancing, bigger than life itself
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
'Angel' visits woman before lottery win
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Doomsday group offers 'epic' survival opportunity
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giraffe poo seized after woman wanted to use it to make a necklace
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Helicopter sound arouses crocodiles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman sues Disney over 'injurious wedgie'
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Emotional support alligator turned away from baseball stadium
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published