Ryanair Malta flight declares emergency and diverts after take-off

A Ryanair flight headed for Malta declared an emergency shortly after take-off on Monday morning (September 7), forcing the plane to turn back.

Flight FR5883 took off at approximately 8.30am and was making its way to Malta International Airport when the crew reported a problem and reversed course over the UK. According to flight-tracking data, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 levelled off at roughly 7,000ft rather than continuing to climb, and was spotted circling while the crew assessed an unspecified technical fault.

Approximately half an hour into the flight, pilots transmitted squawk code 7700, the internationally recognised signal for a general emergency, according to The Mirror.

The aircraft held steady at around 7,000ft as onboard safety checks were conducted before it was granted priority handling on its way to East Midlands Airport.

The service had originally been scheduled to operate non-stop between Norwich and Malta before the emergency was declared shortly after take-off. Data from Flightradar24 subsequently confirmed the aircraft was diverted to East Midlands Airport rather than continuing its journey southward towards Malta.

The aircraft, registered 9H-VUV, is operated by Malta Air and was flying on behalf of Ryanair. It touched down at East Midlands Airport at around 10am this morning.

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