More than a dozen flights destined for Gatwick Airport were diverted to other airports early yesterday after the airport closed its runway due to technical difficulties. The disruption began when a British Airways flight arriving from Palma de Mallorca encountered technical problems, prompting the airport to halt operations on its main runway.

According to flight tracking data, at least nine aircraft activated the emergency 7700 squawk code as they circled over southern England with dwindling fuel reserves while awaiting clearance to land. The affected flights subsequently diverted to several alternative airports, including Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, Birmingham, and Bristol.

In total, 14 flights were rerouted as the situation unfolded. The airport resumed normal operations after addressing the technical issue, though no further details regarding the nature of the fault or the impact on broader schedules were disclosed. Passengers on the impacted flights faced delays and were advised to check for updates through their respective airlines.