From British Airways' 28,000-ft plunge to flydubai hijacking scare: Major Boeing aircraft incidents in 2026 so far

A British Airways flight bound for Chicago from London was forced to turn back on Monday (local time), about an hour after takeoff, after the aircraft made a dramatic descent of more than 28,000 feet within minutes. The pilots declared an emergency before returning safely to Heathrow Airport.

The incident involving the Boeing 777-200ER is the latest in a series of mid-air emergencies and accidents involving Boeing aircraft this year.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

The British Airways flight experienced a technical issue about an hour after takeoff, prompting the pilots to declare a general emergency and perform a rapid descent.

The squawk code 7700 is a general emergency signal used by pilots to alert air traffic control that their aircraft is in distress, without specifying the nature of the emergency.

The flydubai flight was diverted after a violent altercation between the co-pilot and captain, with the co-pilot allegedly attempting to crash the plane, leading to a grave emergency.

Passengers and off-duty crew members managed to subdue the co-pilot after the captain unlocked the cockpit door, preventing a potential tragedy during the flight.

While recent incidents involving Boeing aircraft have raised concerns, it's important to note that each case varies, and no common safety fault has been identified.

What do we know about the incident?

According to media reports, the Boeing 777-200ER was scheduled to complete the journey to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in about eight hours and 40 minutes. Around an hour after departure, however, the aircraft reached an altitude of 37,000 feet before apparently developing a problem and transmitting a squawk code indicating a general aviation emergency.

Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft descended rapidly, falling about 28,000 feet within minutes to reach an altitude of 9,000 feet.

In a statement, a British Airways spokesperson said, "The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and the aircraft landed safely after our highly trained pilots returned to Heathrow following a technical issue."

The spokesperson added, "Customers disembarked the aircraft normally, and our teams are working to get their travel plans back on track as quickly as possible."

While the aircraft landed safely and passengers disembarked normally, the incident adds to a string of accidents and mid-air emergencies involving Boeing aircraft this year, ranging from engine issues to emergency landings.

1. flydubai flight plunges more than 16,000 feet

On 30 September, a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight from Dubai plunged more than 16,000 feet in just over 30 seconds after the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with the intent of crashing the aircraft. Flight FZ1073 was operated using a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

The co-pilot, an Omani national identified as Hamam-al-Hammami, allegedly attacked flight captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe as he intended to crash the aircraft, which had more than 170 people on board, mostly Israelis, at Ben Gurion Airport. While the investigation is currently underway, media reports state that a major tragedy was averted after Machchhar, who suffered serious injuries, managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to subdue the co-pilot.

2. Amazon cargo plane crashes at Miami airport

In September, an Amazon cargo plane crashed at Miami airport after overshooting the runway, in an incident that killed five people and injured five others. The incident occurred on 6 September when Prime Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 operated by cargo carrier 21 Air, overran Miami International Airport's diagonal runway at around 2 pm EDT, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to a Reuters report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that one of the pilots cautioned that they were flying "too fast" just over a minute before touching down.

3. Ryanair passenger partially sucked out of window

On 10 July, a Ryanair passenger was partially sucked out of a window on a Boeing 737 flight shortly after takeoff from Thessaloniki, Greece, two airport sources said, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing.

In a statement at the time, Ryanair said the plane was scheduled to fly from Thessaloniki to Memmingen Airport in Germany but returned to Thessaloniki "when a passenger window dislodged in flight".

In a later statement, the company's CEO said preliminary findings into the incident suggested "foreign object damage" and that it was not related to the aircraft's age or servicing conditions.

4. United Airlines flight makes emergency landing

In March, a United Airlines flight made an emergency landing shortly after departing from Los Angeles following a possible engine fire, which forced passengers on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to evacuate using slides on a taxiway, according to statements from the FAA and the airline.

5. IndiGo flight makes emergency landing in Delhi

In March, a full emergency was declared at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after a Visakhapatnam-Delhi flight was forced to make an emergency landing in the capital following reports of an engine malfunction.

According to an official, “The flight, 6E 579, was a Boeing 737-800 aircraft and was carrying 161 persons on board. According to initial reports, the pilot reported a failure of one engine while approaching Delhi, prompting authorities to initiate full emergency protocols at the airport."

The incidents come a little over a year after the deadly Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad, involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. However, it is important to note that the circumstances surrounding these incidents varied, and no reports have so far indicated a common fault with Boeing aircraft.

About the Author

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.

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