MANCHESTER, UK — A TUI Airways flight bound for Manchester was forced to issue an urgent Mayday call and execute a emergency diversion on Friday night after a security breach on the airfield blocked its final landing, stranding the low-fuel aircraft in a holding pattern.
TUI Airways flight BY439, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration G-TUMN), departed Aristides Pereira International Airport (BVC) in Cape Verde at approximately 4:00 PM local time following a 2.5-hour departure delay.
After five hours of transit, the aircraft commenced its approach to Manchester Airport and was lined up on final approach for runway 05L. However, Air Traffic Control (ATC) abruptly ordered the flight to go around due to an active security incident on the ground.Greater Manchester Police were called to the scene at 11:20 PM after an unauthorized individual breached the perimeter and entered the active airfield area.
Flight BY439 was instructed to join a holding pattern at 6,000 feet over the Peak District while authorities resolved the breach. After approximately 20 minutes of circling and with fuel reserves burning low, the flight crew declared a general emergency by broadcasting squawk code 7700.
Given the strict fuel limits and indefinite airfield closure at Manchester, ATC prioritized vectors for flight BY439 to divert to East Midlands Airport (EMA).The Boeing 737 MAX touch down safely on EMA’s runway 09 shortly after midnight.
Ground crews at East Midlands immediately refueled the aircraft. With the intruder apprehended and Manchester Airport re-opened to incoming traffic 15 minutes later, the flight took off again just one hour after landing.
The final leg from EMA back to MAN lasted a brief 18 minutes, with the jet spending a total of three minutes at its cruising altitude of 8,000 feet before commencing descent. Flight BY439 finally landed on Manchester’s runway 05L at 1:35 AM on Saturday morning, bringing an end to the multi-stage operational diversion.
No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew, and Manchester Airport confirmed normal operations resumed overnight following the suspect’s arrest.
