Ryanair plane makes ‘terrifying’ emergency U-turn minutes into flight

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A Ryanair flight was forced to make a mid-air U-turn after an emergency warning went off inside the plane.

Soon after taking off from Belfast International Airport bound for Edinburgh, Scotland, the pilot turned the aircraft around and landed back in Northern Ireland.

According to tracking website Flightradar24, the plane took off at 7.48pm on 17 October but was back at the stand in Belfast at 8.25pm.

Ryanair told The Independent that the incident related to a “minor technical issue”, while a passenger on board claimed it was related to a door, adding that the experience was “terrifying”.

The unnamed traveller said that the crew “tried to announce something whilst mid-air but nobody could hear it” but the staff on the flight were “great”, reports Extra.ie.

“When we landed, they said a problem with the door sensors caused it. We had to circle for a little bit even though it was an emergency landing.”

Graham Keddie, Belfast International Airport’s managing director, said the emergency light came on in the cockpit “not long” after take off.

“It was an emergency light warning about pressurisation and so the skipper immediately came down to a lower level and returned on a full emergency,” he told BBC Radio Ulster.

An image shared on Twitter/X from inside the plane purports to show a member of cabin crew “testing” the door once the aircraft had landed.

The flight path data shows the plane turned around soon after it had reached Scotland’s west coast.

A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “This flight from Belfast to Edinburgh (17 October) returned to Belfast International Airport shortly after departure due to a minor technical issue with the aircraft.

“The aircraft landed normally and to minimise disruption to passengers, an alternative aircraft was quickly arranged, which departed for Edinburgh Airport at 00.40 local [time].

“Ryanair sincerely apologises to all affected customers for any inconvenience caused.”