A United Airlines transcontinental flight bound for the United States declared an inflight emergency today before diverting safely toward London Heathrow Airport.
DIVERSION — Flight UA273, operated by a 28-year-old Boeing 767-322ER (registration N664UA), departed Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) at 13:45 CEST for what was scheduled to be a nine-hour crossing to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
After making an initial climb to its cruising altitude of 32,000 feet over mainland France, the aircraft altered its course while over the English Channel. Pilots transmitted general emergency code Squawk 7700 on their transponder, signaling an urgent incident to air traffic control, and initiated a rapid descent toward the UK.
Air traffic controllers prioritized the widebody jet for an immediate diversion to London Heathrow (LHR), where emergency response crews were put on standby. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft descending and lining up on final approach for Runway 27L.
United Airlines has not yet confirmed the specific nature of the emergency, such as whether the crew encountered a technical malfunction or a medical situation on board. Operations at Heathrow were adjusted to accommodate the priority landing.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as further details become available.
UPDATE 15:03 BST
Touch down on runway 27L.
UPDATE 15:14 BST
The aircraft is now parked on remote stand of the airport.
