Doha, August 12 - British Airways flight BA198, a scheduled service from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to London Heathrow Airport, on August 11, 2025, experienced an unexpected in-flight emergency that led to its diversion to Doha, Qatar. The flight, operated by an Airbus A350-1000 with the registration G-XWBE, departed Mumbai’s Terminal 2 at approximately 13:42 IST, slightly behind its scheduled departure time of 13:05 IST. The aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 36,000 feet over the Persian Gulf, near Dubai, when the crew issued a general emergency signal, known as a squawk 7700, less than three hours into the nearly ten-hour journey to London.
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The squawk 7700 is an internationally recognized transponder code under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, signaling to air traffic control that the aircraft requires immediate priority handling due to a significant issue. This code does not specify the nature of the emergency, which could range from mechanical issues, such as engine problems or loss of cabin pressure, to medical emergencies or other onboard incidents. In this case, the precise reason for the emergency declaration has not been publicly disclosed by British Airways, and the airline has not yet provided detailed comments on the incident. The aircraft was promptly vectored to divert to Hamad International Airport in Doha, where it landed safely at 14:00 local time.
After landing in Doha, the Airbus A350-1000 remained on the ground for approximately four hours, during which time the issue was presumably addressed by ground crews and technicians. British Airways confirmed to aviation news outlets that the flight was scheduled to depart Doha at 18:05 local time to continue its journey to London Heathrow. The flight eventually resumed and was expected to arrive at Heathrow around 22:30 BST, several hours later than its original schedule. The safe landing and continuation of the journey ensured that all passengers and crew were unharmed, though the delay likely caused inconvenience for those onboard.
This incident adds to a series of recent diversions for British Airways, reflecting the complexities of managing long-haul flights. For instance, earlier in 2025, another British Airways flight from London to Belfast diverted to Manchester due to a suspected technical issue, and a flight from the Cayman Islands to London required two diversions due to a medical emergency and crew duty limits. The BA198 diversion highlights the critical role of emergency protocols, such as the squawk 7700, in ensuring passenger safety. Air traffic controllers, upon receiving the emergency signal, can clear airspace and prioritize the aircraft’s landing, while ground emergency services are prepared to respond if needed. While the specific cause of BA198’s emergency remains undisclosed, the successful diversion and resumption of the flight underscore the aviation industry’s robust safety measures and the preparedness of crews to handle unexpected situations.