PARIS — An Avianca flight bound for South America was forced to make a dramatic mid-Atlantic U-turn today after the flight crew declared an inflight emergency.
Avianca flight AV55, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (registration N792AV), departed Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 09:35 CEST, heading for El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogotá, Colombia.
The transoceanic flight was proceeding normally for the first leg of its journey. However, after more than three hours in the air and while cruising at 31,000 feet over the open Atlantic Ocean, the crew suddenly broadcast a Squawk 7700 code, the international transponder signal indicating a general emergency.
Mid-Atlantic Turnback
Flight tracking data indicates that the widebody aircraft initiated a sharp turnaround just as it was passing over the Azores, an archipelago region in the mid-Atlantic.
Rather than attempting to push forward to South America or land in the remote Azores, the pilots opted to head back toward mainland Europe. Tracking projections show the aircraft is currently steering east-northeast, likely redirecting toward a major diversion airport in either Portugal or Spain, where robust maintenance and passenger accommodations are available.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more tracking data and official statements become available.
UPDATE
Flight AV55 diverted to Madrid.
