A Ryanair flight bound for Devon was diverted to Birmingham after a problem with the aircraft's wing, forcing a 160-mile detour. The plane, flight FR8030, took off from Faro in Portugal and was scheduled to land at Exeter Airport at 6:55pm on Wednesday, July 22, but instead landed at Birmingham Airport.
Passenger recounts tense moments
Passenger Davina Gunn-Hawking described the experience: "The pilot made an announcement we were landing in five minutes, then the plane ascended and circled a few times. Then an announcement was made that due to a problem with the aircraft, we needed a longer runway and we were being diverted to Birmingham. The pilot and cabin crew were very professional and helpful, but tensions were very high."
Emergency response and investigation
Flight trackers show the plane flew over Exeter, circled, then continued north to Birmingham. As the plane touched down, blue-light landing-precaution vehicles immediately followed. Pictures taken at Birmingham Airport show crews inspecting the plane's wing on the runway. A flight spotters group on social media suggested a squawked 7700 alert was issued, a distress signal indicating an emergency.
Passenger transport and airline statement
Ryanair organised coaches to pick up passengers from Birmingham and take them to Exeter. In a statement, Ryanair said it was "forced to divert [the] flight to Birmingham" but did not confirm the cause of the diversion. Ryanair and Exeter Airport have been contacted for comment. The cause of the diversion remains unknown, but the aircraft's wing was reportedly being assessed by crews at Birmingham Airport.
