LONDON — A British Airways flight from Canada was forced to declare an airborne emergency on Monday afternoon as it neared its destination, prompting a priority descent into London Heathrow Airport.
Flight BA84, a Boeing 777-200ER (registration G-YMMT), had departed Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Sunday, May 31, at 9:30 PM PDT for what was scheduled to be a routine nine-hour transatlantic crossing.
Emergency Transponder Code Triggered
The flight progressed normally across the Atlantic until Monday, June 1, at approximately 1:00 PM BST. While cruising at 39,000 feet near Glasgow, Scotland, the flight crew suddenly transmitted a Squawk 7700, the international aviation transponder code indicating a general emergency.
Air traffic control records indicate that the pilots requested an immediate, expedited descent and priority routing into the London airspace.
Medical Emergency On Board
While a Squawk 7700 can indicate mechanical issues, British Airways later confirmed that the urgency was triggered by a severe medical situation in the cabin.
“Our pilots requested a priority landing into Heathrow due to a passenger requiring urgent medical assistance on board,” a representative for the airline stated. “The safety and well-being of our customers and crew is always our top priority.”
Thanks to priority routing from air traffic controllers, the Boeing 777 was fast-tracked through Heathrow’s notoriously busy arrival corridors.
Safe Landing and Ground Response
The aircraft touched down safely on Heathrow’s Runway 27R at 1:57 PM BST, roughly one hour after the emergency was first declared.
Flight Summary: BA84
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Departure: Vancouver (YVR) — May 31, 21:30 PDT
Arrival: London Heathrow (LHR) — June 1, 13:57 BST
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER (G-YMMT)
Incident: Medical Emergency (Squawk 7700)
After clearing the runway, the aircraft taxied directly to Gate C52 at Terminal 5, where it was met by airport paramedics and emergency medical services. The current condition of the passenger has not been released. No other injuries were reported, and the aircraft’s remaining passengers were deplaned normally following the medical intervention.
