A security alert was raised when an Air France flight entered a restricted area, causing a commotion at Abidjan’s international airport. The incident involved Flight AF702 traveling from Paris to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The Airbus A350, with 283 passengers and 12 crew members, landed safely at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport following a six-hour journey. The pilots mistakenly veered towards the Abidjan Military Air Base instead of the designated civilian parking terminal as instructed by the control tower.
Specialized equipment was utilized to tow the aircraft back to the runway, leading to the cancellation of the return flight to Paris, AF703. A technical team from Paris was dispatched to assess the plane for any damage caused by the unexpected detour onto the military zone. Authorities in Ivory Coast are investigating the communication between the cockpit and control tower to determine the cause of the incident.
In a separate event earlier that day, a Jet2 flight declared an emergency over the UK after one of its pilots became incapacitated. Flight LS980, en route from Lanzarote to Manchester, had to make a priority landing due to the sudden medical issue affecting one of the pilots. The co-pilot successfully landed the aircraft, and the affected pilot received medical assistance upon arrival at Manchester Airport. Jet2 confirmed the incident, stating that the flight landed safely, and passengers disembarked without further complications.
