A Ryanair flight had to issue an emergency alert mid-flight after experiencing landing gear problems during its journey from Sicily to Milan Malpensa Airport. The incident occurred on Thursday night as Flight FR1071 departed at 9:53 pm local time and immediately signaled a general emergency with a Squawk 7700 transmission to air traffic controllers.
Despite the issue, the Boeing 737-800 continued its ascent to 36,000 feet while the crew monitored the technical problem and maintained communication with regional controllers. The flight lasted approximately an hour before the captain reported a landing gear failure to the Malpensa control tower during the descent into Milan.
In response to the emergency, the airport activated a “maximum alert” status, dispatching fire engines, ambulances, and support vehicles to the scene as a precaution. Fortunately, just before landing, the landing gear successfully deployed and secured, allowing for a safe landing and the cancellation of the emergency response.
Following the incident, the aircraft was taken to a designated area for a comprehensive technical inspection to identify the root cause of the initial problem.
In a separate aviation emergency incident, a British Airways flight en route to the UK from Kotoka International Airport in Ghana was diverted to Lyon, France, due to a medical emergency onboard. Flight BA78 transmitted a Squawk 7700 signal while flying at 38,000 feet, prompting an immediate diversion to Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport for medical assistance.
The Airbus A350-1000 landed safely in Lyon and remained stationed for refueling before resuming its journey to Heathrow Airport.