Passengers aboard a Jet2 flight destined for a popular vacation spot found themselves 1,000km off course following an in-flight emergency. Flight LS167, which departed Glasgow Airport bound for Arrecife Airport in Lanzarote at around 3:30 pm on Thursday, was forced to divert mid-flight. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was cruising at 37,000ft off the coast of Portugal, approximately two and a half hours into the journey, when the pilots made the decision to reroute due to a medical issue. A swift descent was initiated, leading the plane to Faro Airport on Portugal’s Algarve coast.
A distress signal with code 7700 was transmitted to air traffic control to indicate the onboard emergency, prioritizing the aircraft’s landing and ensuring emergency services were on standby. This code is a general emergency indicator and does not specify the nature of the issue, serving as a universal alert for non-hijacking (7500) or radio failure (7600) emergencies.
The emergency was reportedly linked to a medical incident, with emergency response teams prepared to meet the aircraft upon arrival in Faro. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 depicted the aircraft’s deviation from its original course over the Atlantic Ocean near Portugal’s western coast, followed by a sharp turn and descent before landing in Faro around 6:20 pm. After a brief layover in Faro, the flight resumed its journey, departing Portugal at approximately 8 pm and reaching Lanzarote by 9:35 pm.
Inquiries have been made to Jet2 for further details on the incident. This event occurred shortly after an easyJet flight declared an emergency while approaching Manchester Airport earlier in the week. Passengers aboard the Airbus A320-200 aircraft originating from Amsterdam were met with a mid-air alert as the plane circled in a holding pattern before landing safely in Manchester. Flight U22164 from Schiphol Airport deviated from its usual flight path into Manchester, circling north of the city before making a delayed landing.
The timely response of the flight crew and emergency services ensured a safe resolution to both incidents, highlighting the importance of preparedness in managing unexpected situations during air travel.
