Highest alert level declared Passenger jet suddenly "only has fuel for six minutes"

A Ryanair plane flew almost without fuel during a storm over Great Britain. The pilot had to trigger the international emergency code - and land in Manchester shortly before the tank ran out.

A Ryanair flight from Pisa to Glasgow got into a dangerous situation at the beginning of October. Due to the storm "Amy", which swept over the United Kingdom with wind speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour, the plane had to deviate from its course on 3 October and make an emergency landing in Manchester.

As the Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera" reports, the crew triggered the international "Mayday Fuel" alarm after several attempts to land in Edinburgh failed. The emergency code Squawk 7700 is the highest alert level for aviation incidents.

When the plane touched down safely in Manchester, according to the investigation report, there were only 220 kilograms of fuel left in the tanks - enough for around five to six minutes of flight time. This is the absolute minimum amount before an aircraft is no longer considered airworthy.

"It was only after we landed that we realized how critical the situation had been," a passenger told British media.

Detailed investigation underway

The aviation authorities have launched an investigation. Among other things, fuel planning and the crew's decision-making processes in extreme weather conditions are being examined.

Ryanair explained on request: "This flight reported the situation to the relevant authorities, with whom we are cooperating fully. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to comment further."