EasyJet flight to Liverpool diverted to Manchester after emergency

Passengers aboard an easyJet flight from the Isle of Man to Liverpool were informed they would be landing at a different airport after the aircraft crew declared a midair emergency and diverted to Manchester on Sunday. The flight, operated by an Airbus A319 and designated U251, had departed the Isle of Man approximately one hour before the incident unfolded.

The trouble began as the aircraft neared its intended destination at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. While attempting to land, the crew executed a go-around, a maneuver in which a landing is aborted on final approach or after touchdown. In this case, the go-around was prompted by another aircraft blocking the runway. After the aborted landing, the plane entered a holding pattern at 6,000 feet just outside Liverpool.

Shortly afterward, the crew transmitted a squawk 7700 code via the aircraft's transponder, an internationally recognized signal indicating a general airborne emergency. Following that broadcast, air traffic controllers gave the flight priority, directing it away from Liverpool and toward Manchester Airport, which has longer runways and more extensive emergency handling facilities. At Manchester, emergency response...