British Airways Dreamliner diverts to Iqaluit

A British Airways, Seattle-bound flight from London diverted to Iqaluit on Thursday after the crew declared an emergency while over the Arctic.

British Airways Capt. Rob McCracken stands with a passenger who required assistance disembarking after Flight BA53 from London, U.K., to Seattle, U.S., had to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit on Thursday. (Photo by Mosha Folger)

Flight BA53 — a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner —  departed London’s Heathrow airport Thursday morning and landed safely in Iqaluit at 11:07 a.m., according to Flightradar24, a site that tracks air travel around the world. 

The aircraft had been operating the airline’s daily scheduled service from London to Seattle-Tacoma International airport in Washington State.

A British Airways spokesperson said the diversion was made as a precaution because of a “technical issue.”

“Our teams are working hard to get our customers on their way as soon as possible,” Carly Polay, the airline’s international communications executive for the Americas, said in an email to Nunatsiaq News.

A representative from Frobisher Bay Touchdown Services, which handles the disembarkation of passengers from planes that make emergency landings in Iqaluit, said more than 270 people came off the plane.

The operation went smoothly. The passengers were being fed but remained in the airport’s secure while the airline figured out the next steps.

The situation is complicated by the Inuit Circumpolar Council general assembly having many of Iqaluit’s hotel rooms booked for the week.

British Airways Capt. Rob McCracken could be seen checking on his passengers as they waited in the terminal.

The airline did not specify the nature of the technical issue or say how many passengers and crew were on board.

British Airways has also not said when the passengers will continue their journey to Seattle or whether a replacement aircraft will be sent.