Overview
- A Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Istanbul to Toronto diverted to Manchester on July 28 after the crew reported a technical fault and held over the North Sea before landing safely.
- Flight tracking data and eyewitnesses indicate the aircraft circled at lower altitude and may have jettisoned fuel to reach the correct landing weight, and several fire engines were staged as a precaution.
- Engineers inspected the jet on the tarmac, the technical issue was reported resolved, and the aircraft departed Manchester roughly three hours later to continue to Toronto.
- Separately, two RAF quick reaction jets escorted Qatar Airways flight QR23 into Manchester on July 24 after a security notification; the airline said the move was precautionary and the aircraft was never in danger.
- Greater Manchester Police later traced that July 24 alert to a hoax call and identified a 14-year-old from the Bolton area who is assisting officers, showing how false reports can trigger major military and emergency responses.