A large transatlantic passenger plane heading for the USA made an emergency diversion over North Uist following an onboard mechanical fault.
Travellers with tickets for Salt Lake City boarded the Delta Airlines Airbus 330 in Paris.
Flying over the Uist coast at 521mph the pilot suddenly announced they were detouring in a completely direction - for the sunny climes of Spain - due to the nature of the emergency
On passing Heisker (the Monach Isles) shortly before noon on Tuesday, the plane sharply looped off course to seek a safe landing.
The aircraft kept on flying south, bypassing airfields in the UK and Ireland - even steering clear of Charles de Gaulle Airport in France which it had departed less than two hours earlier - after the malfunction which sparked the emergency was traced to an engine anti-icing system problem.
With the risk of ice forming in the affected engine, the Spanish capital was the nearest suitable place warm enough to land.
The ultimate decision to divert to Spain was due to icing conditions in Dublin and London Heathrow and that region, so Madrid was the nearest suitable alternative.
Delta Airlines told Hebrides News: “The flight landed without incident and was met by local maintenance personnel.”
Transatlantic flight detours 1,200 miles to Spain after declaring emergency over North Uist
12 January 2023
