Emirates flight EK31, operating an Airbus A380 from Dubai to London Heathrow, diverted to Frankfurt after declaring a general emergency during the flight on Thursday, Oct. 1, reports said.
The flight was travelling from Dubai International Airport to London Heathrow, and made an emergency diversion to Frankfurt Airport after the aircraft transmitted the international 7700 emergency code, according to flight-tracking data.
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Squawk 7700 is the internationally recognised transponder code used by aircraft crews to signal a general emergency to air traffic control.
The alert allows controllers to identify the aircraft immediately on radar and give it priority over other traffic.
Emergency situations that can prompt the use of 7700 can include serious technical problems, smoke or fire warnings, engine-related issues, cabin-pressure problems or medical emergencies requiring a diversion.
The 7700 transponder code once activated alerts air traffic controllers to a general emergency.
The aircraft is given priority handling and air traffic controllers coordinate with airport authorities and emergency services to facilitate a safe landing.
The code is different from squawk 7600, which indicates a loss of radio communications, and squawk 7500, which is associated with unlawful interference, including a hijacking situation.
The Airbus A380-861, operating as UAE4PY, departed Dubai at about 11:25 a.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive at Heathrow at 4:10 p.m.
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The aircraft instead began descending in the vicinity of Frankfurt before landing at Frankfurt Airport.
The precise nature of the emergency aboard EK31 was not immediately clear.
Emirates reportedly attributed the diversion to “operational reasons”, while publicly available information did not establish whether the incident involved a technical problem, a medical emergency or another issue.
There was no immediate indication of a crash or injuries following the diversion.The aircraft appeared to have landed at Frankfurt without incident.
Flight-tracking information indicated that the aircraft was expected to continue from Frankfurt to Heathrow later on Thursday, although its onward schedule had been delayed.
An Airbus A380 operated by Emirates can carry several hundred passengers, depending on the aircraft's cabin configuration.
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