Swiss Boeing 777 diverts to Azores after emergency signal

A Swiss International Air Lines Boeing 777-300ER, operating flight LX9 from Chicago to Zurich, was forced to make an emergency diversion over the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday. The crew activated the international emergency transponder code Squawk 7700, signaling a general emergency.

The aircraft, identified by registration HB-JNF, diverted to Lajes Field on Terceira Island in the Azores, a Portuguese autonomous region. The plane landed successfully at approximately 8:30 AM Swiss time.

While Swiss has confirmed the diversion, the airline has not yet officially stated the specific cause of the emergency. However, some reports suggest a chemical odor may have been present on board. The flight briefly became one of the most tracked flights globally on Flightradar24 following the activation of the emergency code.