Ryanair Plane Forced to Make Emergency Landing After Captain Transmits Hijack Code

Emergency Transponder Code 7500 Triggered Over Portugal

Ryanair flight FR7073, operating on a Boeing 737-8 MAX carrying registration EI-IKJ, departed Porto Airport late on a Tuesday night on its scheduled route to Ireland. As the jet climbed through 12,000 feet, the captain transmitted squawk code 7500 into the transponder, signalling an attempted hijacking or intrusion into the cockpit. Aviation author and former TAP pilot José Correia Guedes verified the specifics of the protocol, pointing out that the transponder code was punched in as the plane ascended past 12,000 feet. Upon passing FL120, the captain entered code 7500 into the transponder, Correia Guedes stated, adding, An alarm is automatically triggered on air traffic controllers’ panels, followed by immediate coordination with authorities and emergency services.

Entering code 7500 into an aircraft’s transponder instantly activates both a visual and auditory warning directly on radar screens monitored by air traffic personnel. Air traffic personnel promptly verify the input with the flight crew to eliminate any possibility of a mistake before notifying law enforcement, national defense, and emergency personnel at the airport. Once the threat level was confirmed, Air Traffic Control (ATC) established privileged, high-priority communication with the flight, clearing the surrounding airspace and providing precise radar vectors for an immediate return to Porto. Backed by full emergency response coordination, the Boeing 737-8 MAX touched down safely back at Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport near midnight, just 37 minutes after its initial departure.

Passenger Claims and Subsequent Police Intervention

The inflight security scare stemmed from an unusual incident involving a 48-year-old Brazilian woman on board the aircraft. She reportedly claimed after take-off that she was being followed by three people and handed several sheets of paper containing her allegations to a flight attendant, requesting that they be passed directly to the captain.

Public Security Police (PSP) officers boarded the plane upon arrival to remove and identify the passenger. Accounts regarding the passenger’s subsequent treatment varied across Portuguese media. Local newspaper Correio da Manhã reported that the woman was allowed back onto the flight after being identified by officers without police verifying her allegations. In contrast, different regional news sources stated that police removed her from the terminal and barred her from proceeding with her trip. Local police forces could not be reached for official comment.

Flight Resumption and Arrival in Dublin

Following the emergency landing and security checks, the aircraft eventually departed Porto again just before 1.30am on Wednesday morning, resuming its journey to Dublin without incident. The plane landed safely in the Irish capital just after 3.00AM, arriving approximately two-and-a-half hours behind schedule at around 3.15am local time.