Fumes in cockpit: British Airways flight makes emergency landing
A British Airways flight bound for Prague from London had to make an emergency landing at the United Kingdom (UK)'s Heathrow Airport after "fumes were detected in the cockpit". The plane (BA854) took off at 7:25 am on Sunday (local time), with plans to touch down in Prague just after 10:00am. However, only 30 minutes into the journey, it turned around over the Strait of Dover and headed back to the UK, landing at Heathrow at 8:41 am.
Technical issue blamed for emergency landing
Soon after the incident, a representative for British Airways blamed a "technical issue" as the cause of the Airbus A320 plane's emergency landing. The airways did not confirm whether there were fumes in the cockpit. "We're sorry for the delay in our customers' journey after the aircraft returned to Heathrow as a precaution," he said. However, Fire engines were rushed toward the plane at Heathrow Airport.
Storm Isha disrupts British Airways flights
This incident took place as British Airways canceled over three dozen flights from Heathrow on Sunday due to Storm Isha. The airline said it was forced to make schedule adjustments following the adverse weather conditions across the UK and Europe. It also issued an apology to customers for the disruption. "Our teams are working hard to get them on their way as quickly as possible." FlightRadar24 data showed several flights had to alter their routes on Sunday.
Weather warnings across UK
Meanwhile, the weather agency issued seven wind and rain warnings in the UK on Sunday. The warnings will remain in effect over much of the country until Wednesday afternoon. The forecast also warned that high winds would disturb millions of passengers traveling by air, train, and sea. People have been advised to remain vigilant as the extreme weather might endanger lives and destroy property.
US Boeing cargo plane's engine catches fire mid-air
On January 19, a Boeing 747-8 cargo plane operated by Atlas Air experienced an engine malfunction, forcing it to make an emergency landing at Miami International Airport in United States shortly after takeoff. Viral videos showed flames shooting from the aircraft's left wing during the flight. In a statement, Atlas Air said: "The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to MIA." Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said that there were no injuries.
