IndiGo flight returns to London Heathrow after declaring emergency

An IndiGo Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight traveling from London Heathrow to New Delhi was forced to return to London after declaring an emergency shortly after takeoff. The aircraft, carrying more than 250 passengers, encountered a technical issue that reportedly involved smoke detected by the cockpit crew.

After transmitting an emergency squawk code, the flight was granted priority handling by Air Traffic Control. The aircraft landed safely at London Heathrow, where it was met by emergency medical services and escorted by firetrucks to a remote stand.

IndiGo confirmed the incident was due to a technical issue and stated that the pilots followed standard operating procedures by turning back. All passengers disembarked safely. The airline is providing hotel accommodations and rebooking passengers on alternative flights while the aircraft undergoes maintenance checks.