A Virgin Atlantic aircraft en route to Jamaica had to turn back over the Atlantic Ocean and make an emergency landing in Ireland due to an engine failure during the flight. The flight, numbered VS165, took off from London Heathrow at 4:12 pm on Saturday and experienced engine trouble nearly three hours into the journey across the North Atlantic.
With one engine malfunctioning, the plane carrying 246 passengers and 13 crew members redirected its course to Europe to avoid the risk of further damage. The aircraft operated on a single engine, descending from 34,000 feet to a safer altitude of 20,000 feet as it headed back to Ireland. Air traffic controllers directed the flight to Shannon Airport on the west coast of Ireland, a designated emergency landing site for transatlantic flights.
Upon landing at Shannon Airport at 9:24 pm IST, emergency response teams were activated. Shannon Airport’s Fire and Rescue Service deployed crash tenders, and other emergency services rushed to the scene as a precautionary measure. The Irish Coast Guard and RNLI lifeboat were also put on standby in the Atlantic.
Following a thorough check, it was confirmed that there was no fire onboard, and the aircraft taxied safely to its designated parking spot. All passengers and crew disembarked without any injuries. Virgin Atlantic arranged for the travelers to continue their journey to Jamaica on a replacement aircraft.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the engine failure.