LYON, France – A British Airways flight traveling from Accra to London was forced to make an unscheduled landing in France early Monday morning after a medical emergency was declared on board.
Flight BA78, a scheduled six-hour service, departed Kotoka International Airport in Ghana at 10:25 PM local time on Sunday, March 8. The flight was proceeding normally toward London Heathrow until it reached French airspace.
Emergency Descent
While cruising at an altitude of 38,000 feet, the flight crew transmitted a Squawk 7700—the international signal for a general emergency. The decision was made to divert immediately to the nearest suitable airport to ensure a passenger received urgent medical attention.
The aircraft, an Airbus A350-1000 (registration G-XWBG), began a rapid descent and touched down safely at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) at 5:26 AM local time.
Journey Resumes
After the affected passenger was transferred to local medical authorities, the aircraft remained on the tarmac for approximately two hours for refueling and administrative processing.
- Arrival in Lyon: 05:26 AM (Local Time)
- Departure from Lyon: 07:50 AM (Local Time)
- Estimated Arrival at Heathrow: 07:49 AM GMT
The flight is currently back in the air and crossing the English Channel. Despite the delay, the aircraft is expected to land in London just before 8:00 AM, roughly three hours behind its original schedule.
British Airways has not yet released a statement regarding the specific condition of the passenger involved, citing privacy reasons.
