A US fighter jet declared an emergency while flying over Wales, raising questions about the situation on board the aircraft.
Caernarfon: So, there was this US fighter jet that had to send out an emergency signal while flying over Wales. It happened on a Monday afternoon, and the F35 was cruising east across north Wales when it squawked a 7700 code. That’s the universal sign for an emergency, by the way. The jet showed up on a tracking site but then vanished, which usually means it landed safely.
It looks like the F35 took off from the Llanberis area, did a little loop around Caernarfon and the Menai Bridge, and then headed south over Eryri National Park. After that, it flew east past Llangynog and Bwlch-y-ddar before landing at RAF Marham in Norfolk just before 1:40 PM.
Both the US Air Force and the RAF have been asked to clarify what exactly went down and why the emergency code was triggered over Wales. It’s a bit of a mystery at the moment.
For those curious, squawk codes are these four-digit numbers that help pilots and air traffic control communicate during flights. The 7700 code is specifically for emergencies, whether it’s a technical issue, bad weather, or even a medical problem on board. When that code is activated, everyone in the control tower knows something’s up, and they can get emergency crews ready for when the plane lands.
