Turkish Airlines Flight to Vancouver Diverts to Vienna Following Mid-Air Emergency
VIENNA – A Turkish Airlines flight bound for Western Canada was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Austria on Thursday afternoon after the crew declared a formal emergency while transiting European airspace.
Flight TK75, a Boeing 777-300ER, was en route from Istanbul (IST) to Vancouver (YVR) when the incident occurred. After a slightly delayed departure at 16:00 TRT, the aircraft was approximately two hours into its 12-hour journey, cruising at 30,000 feet over Hungary, when the flight crew transmitted a Squawk 7700—the international code for a general emergency.
Incident Timeline
According to flight tracking data and Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications:
- 16:00 TRT: Departure from Istanbul International Airport.
- 15:45 CET: While over Hungary, the crew contacted regional ATC to declare an emergency.
- 16:00 CET: The aircraft (registration TC-LJJ) began a rapid descent and turned toward Vienna International Airport (VIE).
Current Status
The aircraft is currently on its approach to Vienna. While the specific nature of the emergency—whether technical, medical, or security-related—has not yet been confirmed by Turkish Airlines, local emergency services in Vienna are reportedly on standby as per standard protocol for an emergency diversion.
The Boeing 777-300ER is a long-haul workhorse capable of carrying over 300 passengers. A diversion of this scale usually involves significant logistical coordination, as the aircraft may need to dump or burn fuel to reach a safe landing weight.
UPDATE 16:23 CET
On final approach to runway 16.
UPDATE 16:28 CET
Touch down, 2 hours and 30 minutes after takeoff.
UPDATE 16:34 CET
Parked at remote stand of the airport.
