PARIS – An Air France flight bound for Rabat, Morocco, was forced to make an abrupt return to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) on Tuesday evening after the crew declared an emergency shortly after takeoff.
Incident Timeline
Flight AF1358, operated by an Airbus A220 (registration F-HPNZ), departed Paris at 20:45 CEST. The aircraft took off from runway 26R and began a standard climb, eventually reaching its assigned cruising altitude of 34,000 feet.
However, the routine flight was short-lived. While cruising over central France (less than 30 minutes into the journey) the flight crew transmitted a Squawk 7700, the international aviation code for a general emergency.
Rapid Descent and Return
Data shows the aircraft performed a sharp U-turn, abandoning its heading toward North Africa. The crew immediately requested a priority return to Charles de Gaulle.
The aircraft landed safely back in Paris at approximately 21:45 CEST, about one hour after its initial departure. Emergency services are typically on standby for such landings as a standard precaution, though no injuries have been reported.
Airline Response
In the aftermath of the incident, Air France confirmed that the flight had been officially cancelled. Passengers were left seeking alternative travel arrangements as the airline provided a vague explanation for the disruption.
“Air France confirms that the crew of flight AF1358 decided to return to Paris-Charles de Gaulle following a technical incident. The flight has been cancelled due to an unforeseen change to the flight schedule.”
While the airline used “schedule changes” as the formal reason for the cancellation in passenger communications, the use of the emergency transponder code suggests a more pressing technical or safety concern was managed by the cockpit.
