BA603 diverted to Bucharest after suspected technical issue and smoke

A British Airways flight from Istanbul to London made an emergency landing at Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport on Thursday after crew reported a suspected technical issue and authorities said smoke was detected on board. The Airbus A320, operating as Flight BA603 with 142 passengers on board, requested an emergency landing at 5:50 p.m. local time and touched down at 6:14 p.m., airport officials said.

Airport personnel said an emergency response team, including medical staff, boarded the aircraft after it landed and that all passengers and crew were evacuated. Romania's Ministry of Health initially reported that smoke had been confirmed aboard the plane and that four people were in poor health and receiving on-site medical assistance for possible smoke inhalation. The ministry described the situation as dynamic and said more details would follow; it later indicated that the four did not require hospital treatment.

British Airways issued a statement saying the diversion was made as a precaution because of a suspected technical issue and that the aircraft had landed safely. The airline said the safety of customers and colleagues was its top priority and that its crews...