The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, which acts as a ‘flying gas station’ for US military planes, issued a 7700 distress signal while flying over the Persian Gulf
A United States military plane has issued an in-flight emergency before disappearing off radar.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, which acts as a ‘flying gas station’ for US military planes, issued the 7700 distress signal while flying over the Persian Gulf amid heightened tension with Iran.
The American aircraft took off from the Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE before its signals were lost over Qatar, data from Flightradar24 showed.
It is understood that the plane has been supporting US military operations in the Middle East with the current conflict ongoing since the end of February,
The flight tracking data shows the plane flew in a circular route before it begun its descent for landing. The exact cause of the emergency remains unclear with the 7700 distress signal covering a number of potential issues.
When a pilot enters the four-digit emergency code 7700 into their transponder, it immediately alerts air traffic control that the aircraft is in distress and requires priority handling. The exact nature of the incident is not specified as it acts as a “catch-all” for any emergency situation that isn’t a hijacking (7500) or radio failure (7600).
When a plane does emit 7700, a special procedure is put in place at the airport where it is due to land which includes emergency services on standby.
Roughly an hour after the emergency code was detected on flight tracking platforms, the aircraft’s transponder signal was lost, as it was seen heading for Qatar, where US aircraft in the region frequently operate from.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency has reported on the disappearance using data from Flightradar24.
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