Jet2 flight to Ibiza diverts to Paris after emergency at 35,000 feet
A Jet2 flight from London Stansted to Ibiza was forced to divert to Paris after the crew declared a general emergency while flying over northern France, AOL reports.
Flight LS1473 departed Stansted at 8:10 a.m. on Sunday, August 30, but changed course about an hour into the journey after broadcasting the 7700 emergency code at an altitude of 35,000 feet. The code is used to alert air traffic control to a general emergency.
Flight tracking data showed the aircraft making an unscheduled 180-degree turn before descending towards Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Air traffic controllers gave the flight priority for an emergency landing and ground crews were placed on standby.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 registered as G-JZHF, landed safely on runway 27L shortly before 11 a.m. local time, according to reports. The cause of the emergency had not been confirmed at the time of publication.
Cause of emergency remains unclear
Jet2 had not publicly confirmed what prompted the diversion, leaving the circumstances behind the emergency unclear.
The 27-year-old aircraft entered service in 1999 before later joining Jet2’s fleet. It had previously operated for other carriers, including Dutch airline Transavia, according to aviation reports.
Emergency declarations do not necessarily indicate that an aircraft is in immediate danger. The 7700 code allows pilots to notify air traffic control of a serious or potentially serious situation, enabling authorities to prioritise the aircraft and prepare emergency services if needed.
The flight was scheduled to continue from Paris to Ibiza after the diversion, according to the latest information available. Jet2 had not provided further details on the status of the service or the nature of the incident.
