A Jumbo Jet Fell Nine Miles in Ten Minutes Over Ireland

A British Airways Boeing 777-200ER heading from London to Chicago declared an emergency on October 6 after losing altitude rapidly over Ireland. The aircraft fell from 36,000 feet to about 9,000 feet in roughly ten minutes, according to reports.

Passengers described turbulence and oxygen masks dropping from the ceiling. British Airways said only that the flight had a technical issue and has not given a more specific cause. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.

The pilots turned back and circled over the Bristol Channel to burn off fuel before landing at Heathrow after about five hours in the air. Most passengers were rebooked on flights the following day.

A controlled descent to a lower altitude is a standard response when cabin pressure is in question, and the outcome here was a safe landing. What triggered it remains unexplained for now, so details may change as the airline and investigators say more.

Sources: AirlineGeeks