British Airways Chicago flight returns to London after emergency over Ireland

British Airways flight BA295 was operating from London Heathrow to Chicago O'Hare on October 5. According to the Daily Mail, the Boeing 777-200ER departed Heathrow's Terminal 5 at around 11.50am.

The flight declared an emergency while over Ireland, News18 reported. Instead of continuing across the Atlantic, it was diverted back towards Heathrow.

During the October 5 flight, the aircraft descended rapidly from about 37,000 feet to 9,000 feet, according to Fanpage. That account described the aircraft reversing course towards Heathrow after losing altitude.

The reported size of the descent differs. India Today described a 28,000-foot descent, while Mint put it at 27,000 feet in seven minutes. Both accounts describe a substantial loss of altitude over a short period.

News18 reported that the flight declared an emergency over Ireland and was diverted back to Heathrow after descending to around 9,000 feet. The supplied reports do not establish the precise timing of the emergency declaration relative to the descent.

Later coverage from NBC News reported that the aircraft returned to London. Adnkronos also reported the return and said passengers were unhurt.

The flight has been reported back in London, but accounts differ on whether the cause has been established. Mint attributed the return to a pressurisation issue and said the early descent was made to ensure safety.

TGcom24, by contrast, said the cause had not yet been made public. The supplied coverage does not resolve that difference or provide a detailed account of the emergency response after the return.

The main unanswered question is what prompted the emergency and rapid descent. Further confirmation of the pressurisation issue reported by Mint, along with details of the response at Heathrow, would clarify what happened.