A British Airways aircraft en route to the UK had to declare an emergency following a critical medical situation on board. Flight BA78 took off from Kotoka International Airport in Ghana at 10:25 pm local time on Sunday but had to make an unexpected landing in Lyon, France.
During the flight at an altitude of 38,000ft, the flight crew issued a Squawk 7700 distress signal, prompting an immediate diversion to the closest airport for the passenger requiring urgent medical attention.
The Airbus A350-1000 landed safely at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport at 5:26 am local time today, according to reports from AirLive. After a two-hour stop for refueling, the aircraft resumed its journey to Heathrow.
This incident occurred shortly after a United Airlines flight had to evacuate due to an in-flight engine fire. The United Airlines aircraft, flying from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Newark, New Jersey, experienced a fire in its left engine, leading to its safe return and landing at LAX.
All 256 passengers and 12 crew members on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner successfully evacuated using emergency procedures before being transported to the terminal. United Airlines confirmed that efforts were underway to ensure passengers’ swift continuation to their final destinations, with only one minor injury reported.
The Federal Aviation Agency released a statement confirming the return of United Airlines Flight 2127 to Los Angeles International Airport due to a left engine malfunction. The agency indicated that an investigation would follow and advised contacting the airline and airport for further details.