KLM flight from Amsterdam declares emergency on final approach to Inverness Airport at Dalcross
Emergency services were scrambled to Inverness Airport after a jet airliner declared an emergency as it approached its destination.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service were both called to the scene shortly after midday after a KLM flight inbound from Amsterdam declared an emergency while on approach to the Highland airport.
The flight, which left Amsterdam at 10.30am BST (9.30am local time), was due to arrive at Inverness Airport at midday
Flight radar tracking shows the plane had been due to arrive on time, but then abandoned its initial landing attempt less than 400ft above the ground while descending towards Dalcross. It then rapidly climbed to around 5000ft to carry out a 'go around' and a second landing attempt.
It flew over Inverness, turned back across the Beauly Firth and Black Isle before then coming round over the Moray Firth near to Nairn and completing a successful landing at Dalcross just over 15 minutes after the original attempt was aborted.
A HIAL spokesperson said: “We can confirm that an emergency was declared by KLM flight KL901 on approach into Inverness Airport. The aircraft landed safely, and emergency response procedures were stood down.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) confirmed that it was alerted at 12.07pm and that three fire appliances and a heavy rescue unit were scrambled to the airport, but that these were stood down upon arrival.
The Scottish Ambulance Service also sent an ambulance to the scene. A spokesperson for it said: “We received a call at 12:12 to attend an incident at Inverness Airport. We dispatched one ambulance to the scene.”
They were stood down at 12.53pm.
Following the emergency landing, a subsequent KLM departure from Inverness Airport was cancelled. Flight KL902 had been due to depart Inverness Airport at 12.35pm, bound for Amsterdam. This was initially listed as “delayed” in the wake of the emergency aboard the earlier flight, but was then cancelled shortly before 2pm.
KLM has been approached for comment.
