30 November,2024 07:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun Choudhari
Representational Pic/Getty Images
A virgin Atlantic flight flying from London to Mumbai made an emergency turnaround and returned to Heathrow airport after a suspected engine shutdown. The flight was declared cancelled upon landing at Heathrow. An ATC source told mid-day, "Flight VS354 departed from London at 17.35 GMT [11.05 pm IST] from runway 09R for an eight-hour flight to Mumbai. About one hour into the flight, while the aircraft was over the Germany border, the crew of the Boeing 787-9 decided to turn around."
"The crew declared an emergency squawking 7700 [squawk code for general emergency] while holding 20,000 feet over The English Channel. At 20.30 GMT [2 am IST], after holding to burn fuel, the aircraft landed on Runway 09L at London Heathrow airport with one engine in shutdown condition," added the source. The airline confirmed the incident but attributed it to a "technical issue". "Passengers will be rebooked on an alternative service," said its statement.