Travel chaos as TWO flights have mid-air emergencies within A MINUTE at major UK airport
PLANE HELL Travel chaos as TWO flights have mid-air emergencies within A MINUTE at major UK airport
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
TWO flights endured mid-air emergencies within 60 SECONDS at the UK's second biggest airport, sparking travel chaos.
A British Airways Boeing 777-200 declared a dramatic "full emergency" due to "toxic fumes" in the cabin and was forced to land at 3.29pm.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
3
Two flights at Gatwick experienced mid-air emergencies within a minute of each other
Credit: Alamy
3
An easyJet flight requested an emergency landing after a suspected bird crash
Credit: Alamy
3
A BA flight had to deploy oxygen masks due to 'toxic fumes' in the cabin
Credit: Alamy
Meanwhile an easyJet flight landed at Gatwick airport at 3.30pm after declaring a "pan pan" alert following a bird strike.
British Airways flight BA2203 bound for Cancun had to circle London for 45 minutes while it dumped fuel before it was safe to return to the West Sussex hub.
Oxygen masks were deployed and the pilots were even forced to open the windows in the cockpit to let in fresh air.
Passengers among the 340 flyers and crew onboard reported a 'smell of used socks' which left them 'dizzy'.
Emergency services lined the runway as the plane landed at 3.29pm - almost an hour after the 2.11pm take-off.
The Gatwick runway and BA aircraft both needed close inspection after the unscheduled touchdown.
The Sun understands staff and passengers required medical attention on landing due to exposure to the mystery fumes.
BA's flight to Mexico was postponed for 24 hours, with passengers forced to stay in local airport hotels.
Tuesday's chaos meant the Gatwick to Cancun service did not operate until today.
BA told The Sun: 'The aircraft landed safely at Gatwick after our pilots identified a technical issue. Customers disembarked normally and we've apologised for the disruption to their travel plans.'
Four dead after medical jet 'corkscrewed in air & nosedived into ground' at Southend Airport
At the same time easyJet Flight EZY8520 declared a "pan pan" drama caused by a suspected bird strike en route from Madeira in sun-kissed Portugal.
The alarmed pilots requested a "continuous descent into Gatwick airport" and "sterile runway'" for the twin-jet Airbus A320 with around 190 crew and passengers onboard.
After landing at 3.30pm on Tuesday, officials had to inspect the runway before it was allowed to re-open.
EasyJet told The Sun: "Flight EZY8520 from Funchal to London Gatwick on 15 July requested a priority landing into London Gatwick.
"The aircraft landed normally was met by emergency services in line with procedures, purely as a precaution.
'The safety of our customers and crew is easyJet's highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers' guidelines.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
ABBA Voyage arena set to be demolished as developers unveil plans for housing estate
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ABBA Voyage has been a huge success since its launch three years ago, but now the Swedish group's digital avatars are set to be kicked out of their East London arena. I can reveal plans have been drawn up to make way for a 1,000-home neighbourhood, which would mean the venue, constructed especially for the concert spectacle, will be demolished by the end of the decade to make way for apartment blocks. 2 The venue for ABBA Voyage is set to be demolished Credit: Alamy 2 The Swedish group's digital avatars will be kicked out of their East London arena Credit: ABBA Voyage The news is likely to devastate fans, as the group have said the concert — using state-of-the-art technology to show a younger version of the group on stage — is the closest anyone will come to seeing Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Bjorn Ulvaeus perform together again. It also scuppers hopes the Spice Girls could take over the arena, in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, after The Sun revealed the girl group have been planning to create their own similar digital residency. The concert is currently booking up until January 2026, although it is expected to continue for longer. The show's CEO and executive producer Michael Bolingbroke previously said: 'ABBA Voyage will certainly run for another couple of years and hopefully longer — in an ideal world we'd stay for ever.' Building work on the first two phases of a major new estate is scheduled to start next year just metres away from the arena. Real loss That will include construction on the site of the nearby hotel and bar Snoozebox, where revellers often congregate after the performances and which only has permission to stay until the end of 2025. The first homes on the site are scheduled to be completed in 2028, but earlier this year, ABBA's Bjorn said he believed the arena could remain until 2029. He explained: 'We are allowed to stay in our venue till 2029, but sales might drop, you never know.' The arena was originally built as a moveable venue, but the band later admitted they hoped the show would stay in the area. During its run, ABBA Voyage has attracted more than two million visitors and has contributed £1.4billion to the UK economy. ABBA make a rare appearance together as they are honoured by the King and Queen of Sweden A spokesperson for ABBA Voyage said: 'We are in constant dialogue with the London Legacy Development Corporation and Newham Council about our lease and we welcome the opportunity to stay at the arena for as long as viable. 'At present, there are no plans for any changes to be made.' It would be a real loss for it to go, but it's certainly been a massive triumph.
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Tiny Caribbean island that's still a secret to most tourists with famous bioluminescent bay
Plus, the natural wonder that makes Vieques so special HIDDEN GEM Tiny Caribbean island that's still a secret to most tourists with famous bioluminescent bay Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DESPITE the Caribbean being one of the most popular long-haul destinations for Brits, there are still a few islands you might not have heard of. One of those is Vieques, off the coast of Puerto Rico and while it should be on everyone's bucket list, it remains fairly uninvited by tourists. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Vieques is home to the very famous Mosquito Bay Credit: Alamy 5 Popular activities include kayaking and exploring the beaches Credit: Alamy Vieques is a relatively small island in the Caribbean and is around eight miles away from the mainland of Puerto Rico. The island's name is a Spanish spelling of a Taíno and it has the nickname Isla Nena, usually translated as "girl island" or "little girl island", alluding to it being as Puerto Rico's little sister. Vieques is known for its untouched beaches and its wildlife refuge, which is the largest in the Caribbean. The island has over 15 beaches which have both white and black sand bays. Some of the most popular are Playa La Chiva (Blue Beach) and Playa Caracas (Red Beach) which are consistently ranked as top choices by visitors . There are lots of wild horses on the island, the number of free-roaming horses, is estimated to be between 2,000 and 6,000. The horses are descendants of those brought by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Vieques is also home to Mosquito Bay, the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, and holds the Guinness World Record for it. It's nicknamed 'bio bay' by locals and gets its bright lights produced by living organisms in the ocean. To see the bioluminescence in the bay, you have to visit after dark. And for maximum effect, it's advisable to go during the dry season from December to April. Underrated Caribbean Sunshine island Aruba is perfect for beach getaway There are many tour operators around Mosquito Bay that will take groups kayaking on a glass-bottom boat to see the phenomenon, and it's well worth the visit according to travellers. One wrote on Tripadvisor: "The bay is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen; it shone brightly. It's a dream you have to live the experience because it's unique." Another added: "It was so bright and the jumping fish on the water made it magical. Staring up at the endless sky full of stars was a bonus, but the guides, info and bioluminescent lights were the real stars of the show." Other activities that are popular on the island include snorkelling and kayaking through mangrove forests as well as boat tours and sunset sails. The Fortín Conde de Mirasol is another tourist spot on the island that's a restored art gallery. 5 Compared to other Caribbean islands, Vieques is quiet Credit: Alamy 5 Mosquito Bay is bioluminescentand is lit up at night Credit: It's notable as the last Spanish fort constructed in the Americas. If you head up there, it's on a cliff top so you get incredible views across the island. To get to Vieques from the UK, travellers will need to head to New York, to San Juan and onward to Vieques. And don't expect many chain hotels too, with mainly B&Bs and home rentals on the island. Here's the closest Caribbean island to the UK that has Maldives-like overwater villas. Plus, the Caribbean island with UK flights and world's best beaches.
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
The retro model theme park that was like a ‘mini wonderland' – here's what it was like to visit as a child
Plus, Universal's UK theme park plans have dropped – here's what you can expect including nightclubs and film studios DOWN SIZED The retro model theme park that was like a 'mini wonderland' – here's what it was like to visit as a child A FORMER amusement park in Bournemouth used to be home to "Europe's largest model landscape" with Big Ben and a mechanical Tower Bridge. The model village of Tucktonia opened back in 1976 and included an array of different landmarks such as Admiralty Arch, Hadrian's Wall and Stonehenge. Advertisement 6 Tucktonia opened back in 1976 and included an array of different landmarks such as Admiralty Arch, Hadrian's Wall and Stonehenge Credit: Alamy 6 Located in Bournemouth, Tucktonia used to be home to "Europe's largest model landscape" Credit: Alamy 6 Some of the models were even mechanical including Tower Bridge which opened and closed Credit: Alamy Some of the models even moved, including Tower Bridge, which opened and closed to allow boats to pass through. A model of an airport also was mechanical with planes actually travelling along the runway. But the model village didn't just feature big landmarks, it also had a Cornish village, Kellogg's factory and a motorway flyover. At the time, the attraction was dubbed "the best of Britain in Miniature", according to an advert for the destination. Advertisement One woman, Emma Cansdale from Waltham Abbey used to visit regularly as a child. The 52-year-old told Sun Travel: "As an eight-year-old it was like a mini wonderland. "Back then I loved the quaintness of model villages and miniature railways. Emma added: "I remember it was a hot summer day spent following the map to find the different attractions and eating ice cream." Advertisement Across the village, there were over 200 models made from fibre glass and steel and it cost £2million to develop - about £13.5million now. The attraction took two years in total to plan and build. Best of British: Bournemouth's beach and vibrant city life is the perfect getaway And for little ones, there was Railriders club - which Emma was part of. "One of the reasons we went to Tucktonia was to pick up a sticker for my Railriders sticker book as they were participating in that scheme," Emma added. Advertisement Old maps of Tucktonia Leisure Park that Emma has, show what featured at the 21acre site. And it wasn't just the model village - it also had a number of other attractions including fairground rides, a fun slide, boating lake, an amusement arcade, crazy golf, a go-kart track and a mini cinema. One leaflet even claims the park was home to "Europe's largest model landscape". Another poster claims it was "the greatest model Britain in the world". Advertisement 6 There used to be a number of other attractions too including fairground rides Credit: Emma Cansdale According to Dorset Life, some famous faces made appearances at the park too. Comedian and magician Tommy Cooper and actor Jon Pertwee visited in 1978. Keith Chegwin and Maggie Philbin also hosted the BBC's Multi-Coloured Swap Shop live from the park. Advertisement Then in 1985, it was used as a film set for the alien movie Lifeforce - a sci-fi horror by Tobe Hooper, who also created The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Some believe that a number of the models were destroyed as part of the filming, whilst others claim that whilst the village was used as a set, the buildings destroyed in the film were actually different models created by the visual effects team. 6 Emma used to visit as a child and remembers it well Credit: Emma Cansdale In 1980, Alton Towers opened and many believed that this immediately had an impact on the number of visitors at Tucktonia. Advertisement In the following years, the park changed ownership more than once and then in 1986, the park closed - just a decade after the model village had first opened. The site's buildings and fixtures were then all cleared to make the land available for a pub. In 2003, the site then transformed again into a number of retirement flats and homes. One fan of the park commented on social media: "What a fab place it was... Big childhood memories, very sad when it closed." Advertisement Another added: "Absolutely loved Tucktonia. As a child these places were so exciting." There is also an abandoned £118million fairytale theme park that would have been a Disneyland rival – but closed after four years. Plus, Universal's UK theme park plans have dropped – here's what you can expect including nightclubs and film studios. 6 In 1985, the attraction was even used as a film set for the alien movie Lifeforce Credit: Emma Cansdale
