ROME — A Wizz Air flight bound for northern Italy was forced to make a sharp U-turn and divert to Rome this morning after the flight crew declared an inflight emergency.
Flight W46525 had departed Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) in Sicily and was en route to Turin Airport (TRN). However, approximately one hour into the flight, while cruising off the western coast of Italy, the pilots abruptly broadcast a Squawk 7700 code, signaling a general onboard emergency to air traffic control.
Incident Timeline
- Departure — Flight W46525 departs Catania on schedule, tracking north toward Turin.
- ~1 Hour Out — While flying over the Sea off the Italian coastline, the flight crew issues a Squawk 7700 emergency signal.
- The U-Turn — The aircraft abandons its path to Turin, executes a hard turnaround, and steers directly toward the capital.
- 07:45 Local Time — The aircraft safely touches down on Runway 16R at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO).
Following a safe landing, the aircraft bypassed the standard terminal gates and was taxied directly to a remote parking stand at Fiumicino Airport, where ground teams and potential emergency services could meet the plane.
Aircraft Profile
The flight was operated by a next-generation Airbus A321neo, registered under the tail number 9H-WMT. The A321neo is the largest narrow-body aircraft in Wizz Air’s fleet, heavily utilized by the ultra-low-cost carrier for high-capacity European routes.
Wizz Air has not yet released an official statement regarding the cause of the diversion, and it remains unconfirmed whether the emergency was due to a technical glitch, a mechanical failure, or a medical issue on board.
This story is developing. Updates will be provided as details regarding passenger status and the aircraft’s maintenance inspection are released.
