An easyJet flight bound for the holiday island of Ibiza was forced to make an emergency diversion to Paris on Thursday following a technical issue mid-flight.
PARIS — Flight U28105, operated by a 19-year-old Airbus A319, departed London Gatwick Airport’s runway 26L and had reached its cruising altitude of 39,000 feet over mainland France when the crew encountered problems.
Approximately 35 minutes into the flight, the pilots transmitted a “Squawk 7700” code (the international aviation signal for a general emergency) and initiated a sharp turnaround.
According to air traffic control communications, the crew reported an unspecified technical issue with the aircraft. Air traffic controllers immediately prioritized the flight, vectoring the Airbus A319 toward Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport.
The aircraft, registered as G-EZBV, landed safely in Paris approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes after its initial takeoff from London. Emergency services met the aircraft on the tarmac as a standard precautionary measure, and all passengers disembarked normally.
In a statement, easyJet confirmed the diversion, emphasizing that the safety of its passengers and crew remains its highest priority.
To get the stranded travelers to their destination, the airline arranged a replacement aircraft. The flight was rescheduled to depart Paris CDG for Ibiza later that evening at 23:20 local time.
UPDATE
Flight was cancelled.
