An Air India flight travelling from Mumbai to London transmitted an emergency signal on Thursday while flying over the UK capital, according to the flight tracking service, Flightradar24.
The aircraft, operating as flight AIC129, issued a 7700 squawk code, which signifies a general emergency. However, the exact nature of the emergency has not yet been confirmed.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Flightradar24 revealed, "Air India flight AIC129 from Mumbai to London is squawking 7700, indicating a general emergency. The reason is currently unknown."
Squawk codes are an essential tool for Air Traffic Control (ATC) in identifying and tracking aircraft. These four-digit numbers range from 0000 to 7777 and are used to relay specific scenarios.
Certain codes, such as 7700, are universally recognised as indicators of emergency situations, such as technical failures or medical crises on board.
When a flight enters an ATC zone, a unique squawk code is assigned, allowing the ATC to monitor the aircraft’s progress. In the event of a problem, the pilot can change this code to alert the control tower to any danger.
As of now, it remains unclear what prompted the emergency signal. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, but no official updates have been provided regarding the status of the flight or the nature of the emergency.
Air India has yet to issue a statement on the matter, and it is unknown if the flight was forced to make an emergency landing.
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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