United Kingdom: Smoke on board prompts emergency operation

An emergency operation was launched at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom on Sunday after passengers on a British Airways flight from Barcelona were found to be ill after smoke was detected.

“There’s nothing like being locked on a ‘potentially contagious’ plane for an hour and a half with no explanation or information,” one of the passengers, Martin Hill X, lamented on Sunday, as reported by “The Independent”.

At 4.15pm, emergency services were called to the airport after reports that passengers had become ill due to “fumes” on board a British Airways flight.

“The crew used special equipment to perform a systematic scan of the plane to check for elevated chemical values. No high reading was found,” however, clarified the London Fire Brigade, which was called to the scene a few hours after the incident, relayed to the British media.

Images shared on social media also show crew members allegedly being asked to don white hazmat suits in front of worried passengers.

“To be clear, at the end of the day there is no epidemic. Anyway, I hope they don’t let us go. […] However, staff at Heathrow were overly focused and hostile, adding to the panic and confusion of people wanting to get home,” passenger X continued.

“The Independent” reports that three people were treated at the scene before being released, according to the London Ambulance Service.