A Ryanair flight bound for Norway was forced to make an abrupt U-turn over the North Sea on Tuesday morning after the crew declared a mid-air emergency.
MANCHESTER, UK – Flight RK3226, operated by a Boeing 737-800 (registration EI-EMD), departed Manchester Airport at 08:39 GMT—nearly an hour behind its scheduled departure time. The aircraft was en route to Sandefjord Airport, Torp, in Norway.
Rapid Descent and U-Turn
The flight appeared to be proceeding normally for the first 40 minutes of the journey. However, while cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet over the North Sea, the flight crew suddenly transmitted a Squawk 7700 code, the international signal for a general emergency.
Flight tracking data showed the aircraft performing a sharp turn back toward the UK coastline shortly before the emergency declaration.
Current Status
Details regarding the nature of the emergency remain scarce. Squawk 7700 can be triggered by a wide range of issues, including:
- Technical or mechanical malfunctions
- Loss of cabin pressure
- Medical emergencies on board
Updates
The aircraft is currently being monitored by Air Traffic Control as it descends for a priority landing. It is expected to return to Manchester Airport, though diversions to other nearby hubs remain a possibility depending on the severity of the situation.
- The aircraft is returning to MAN Airport due to a suspected fuel leak.
- Landed on runway 23R at 09:55 GMT.
- On taxiway, met by emergency vehicles.
- Now moving to the gate.
