A transatlantic jet has made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport this evening after the crew reported a suspected fuel leak.
United Airlines flight UA-928 was travelling from Heathrow Airport in London to Chicago in the US at the time. There were 157 passengers and a crew of 10 on board.
The flight departed Heathrow at around 1.25pm and about two hours later, the flight crew contacted air traffic controllers in Ireland to notify them of their problem and to request clearance to divert to Shannon.
Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Shannon and Ennis stations were dispatched to support the airport’s own fire and rescue service. The National Ambulance Service mobilised a number of resources while Gardaí also responded to the airport.
The jet landed safely at 4.39pm and was pursued along the runway by airport fire crews who also remained with the jet until it was parked at the terminal.
Engineers were also standing by to meet the aircraft to assess whether the issue could be resolved so it’s not yet clear whether the flight will continue its journey today.
A spokesperson for United Airlines said: “Our team at Shannon Airport is providing assistance to customers of United flight 928 (London Heathrow – Chicago O’Hare) today, which diverted to Shannon Airport to address a technical issue. We are making arrangements for our customers to complete their journeys as soon as possible.”
