BBC News
·Jul 2026
Passenger on British Airways mayday flight describes fear and shout of 'I don't want to die'
A British Airways Airbus A320 flying from Düsseldorf to Heathrow issued a distress call after a data system failure triggered stall warnings during its approach. The crew switched to alternate law, which reduces some automated flight protections, and later upgraded the urgency call to a mayday. Passenger Edward Killiwick described a violent manoeuvre, a 15-minute holding pattern with little information from the crew, and widespread fear among passengers, including one woman who shouted that she did not want to die. The aircraft landed safely with emergency vehicles waiting on the tarmac. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating with assistance from British Airways, while France's BEA has provided details about the aircraft's technical situation.