An Air Canada flight bound for Toronto was forced to declare an emergency and return to London Heathrow Airport shortly after departure on Saturday morning.
LONDON — Flight AC853, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER (registration C-FITL), departed Heathrow at 08:34 BST. According to flight tracking data, the aircraft climbed to its initial cruising altitude of 34,000 feet and was heading west over the Atlantic when the crew initiated an emergency turnaround.
Incident Timeline
- 08:34 BST: Flight AC853 departs London Heathrow (LHR).
- 09:15 BST: Aircraft reaches cruising altitude of 34,000 feet.
- 09:30 BST: Crew declares an emergency, transmitting a Squawk 7700 code, indicating an urgent situation requiring priority handling by Air Traffic Control.
- 10:05 BST: Expected touchdown back at London Heathrow.
The nature of the emergency has not yet been confirmed by Air Canada, though a “7700” code is standard procedure for a wide range of issues, from technical malfunctions to medical emergencies on board.
Aircraft Details
The aircraft involved is a Boeing 777-300ER, a long-haul workhorse of the Air Canada fleet. Records show the specific airframe, registered as C-FITL, is a frequent visitor to the London-Toronto corridor.
Emergency services at Heathrow are reportedly on standby, a standard “full emergency” protocol for any aircraft returning with a 7700 squawk. No injuries have been reported at this time.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available from Air Canada and Heathrow airport authorities.
UPDATE 09:40 BST
The airline is scheduling a new departure from Heathrow at 11:30.
UPDATE 10:02 BST
Touch down on runway 27L.
UPDATE 10:07 BST
Landings were suspended on south runway.
UPDATE 10:11 BST
The aircraft taxied to the gate, escorted by emergency vehicles.
