An Air France Boeing flight en route from China to France was forced to divert to Munich Airport early Thursday morning following a mid-air technical failure involving one of its engines.
MUNICH – Flight AF111 departed Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Wednesday, May 6, at 21:39 CST. The long-haul flight was nearing the end of its 14-hour journey to Paris when the crew encountered a mechanical issue while cruising at 38,000 feet.
As the aircraft entered German airspace, roughly 13 hours into the flight, the flight crew reported a malfunction in the left engine.
Rapid Descent and Landing
The pilots immediately declared an emergency, transmitting the international “Squawk 7700” code to alert Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the distress. At approximately 04:45 local time, the aircraft began a rapid descent and was vectored toward Munich (MUC) for an immediate landing.
Flight Data Summary:
- Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER
- Registration: F-GSPY
- Age: 24 years
- Origin: Shanghai (PVG)
- Destination: Paris (CDG)
- Landing Runway: 26R (Munich Airport)
On the Ground
In accordance with standard safety protocols, emergency services and fire crews were stationed along the runway as the twin-engine jet touched down.
“The aircraft landed safely on runway 26R and was immediately met by airport fire brigades,” a spokesperson for Munich Airport confirmed. “No injuries have been reported among the passengers or crew.”
After a preliminary inspection on the runway, the aircraft was deemed stable enough to taxi under its own power to a remote stand, where passengers were deplaned and transferred to the terminal.
Impact and Investigation
Air France has not yet specified the exact nature of the engine issue, though technical teams are expected to inspect the General Electric GE90 power plant today.
Passengers aboard AF111 are being rebooked on alternative flights to Paris. The aircraft, F-GSPY, remains on the ground in Munich pending a full safety investigation and repairs.
