British Airways Flight Declares Emergency, Descends 28,000 Feet Over Ireland

British Airways flight BA295, bound for Chicago, declared an emergency on October 5 after making a sudden and steep descent while flying over Ireland.

After climbing to approximately 37,000 feet, the aircraft rapidly descended, dropping around 28,000 feet to an altitude of about 9,000 feet within minutes. Oxygen masks deployed for passengers and crew during the descent. The crew transmitted a 7700 emergency squawk, an internationally recognized transponder code alerting air traffic control to a general emergency. British Airways stated the plane experienced a technical issue and that its highly trained pilots returned to Heathrow, landing safely just after 5 pm.

Customers disembarked normally, and the airline is working to rebook their travel plans. Passenger Tom Nicholls reported sudden turbulence before the masks dropped and praised the pilots' actions. A rapid descent to around 10,000 feet or below can be a precaution for a suspected cabin-pressure problem, allowing passengers and crew to breathe without supplemental oxygen.

A reported crew message indicated a pressure problem and cabin altitude reaching 10,500 feet, matching Boeing's procedure for a loss of cabin pressurization. The aircraft circled over the Bristol Channel and southwestern England to burn fuel, a procedure sometimes used to reduce weight before an unexpected landing. The exact reason for the emergency has not been officially confirmed.