A United Airlines flight bound for the US was forced to make an emergency diversion to Senegal after declaring an inflight emergency over the West African coast.
DAKAR, SENEGAL – United Airlines flight UA613, a scheduled long-haul service from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS) in Lagos to Washington Dulles (IAD), departed at approximately 23:00 UTC on Monday.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (registration N27903), initially followed a standard climb profile, reaching a cruising altitude of 36,000 feet before climbing further to 38,000 feet as it headed northwest.
The Emergency Declaration
As the Dreamliner approached the edge of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Senegal, the flight crew transmitted a Squawk 7700 code, the international signal for a general emergency.
Flight tracking data indicates that the aircraft abandoned its oceanic crossing, descended to 24,000 feet, and performed a series of holding patterns. The crew subsequently opted to divert to Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) in Dakar.
Current Status
While United Airlines has not yet specified the exact nature of the mechanical or technical issue that prompted the Squawk 7700, the aircraft remained on the ground in Dakar for several hours.
As of today, the Dreamliner is positioning back to Lagos. This “ferry flight” suggests that the airline intends to reset the operation from the original departure point, likely after addressing the issue or to swap crews to comply with mandatory rest requirements before attempting the transatlantic crossing again.
