US Air Force plane lands after declaring mid-flight emergency off UK coast

Aircraft appeared to be flying in large circles over sea north of Norfolk

A US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Reuters

A US military refuelling aircraft transmitted a general emergency code while flying off the coast of the UK, the flight tracking site Flightradar24 reported.

Flight trackers show the US Air Force plane appeared to be flying in large circles over the North Sea north of Norfolk in the east of England after taking off from RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, at 6.26am.

At about 7.30am the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker stopped circling over the North Sea and began to head southward, tracking data showed. It was later observed circling over Bury St Edmunds, close to Mildenhall, tracking data showed.

A representative for the US Air Force confirmed an emergency had taken place on board but did not elaborate on its nature. There were no reported injuries.

“On 11 February, 2022, out of an abundance of caution, the crew of a KC-135 Stratotanker called an in-flight emergency during a refuelling mission,” the representative said.

“The crew followed all prescribed emergency and safety procedures which enabled them to safely land the aircraft on RAF Mildenhall at approximately 8.14am.

“At no time was any member at risk and due to the high standards by which US Air Force aircrew are trained, everyone on board returned safely with no injuries.”

The plane provides aerial refuelling capability for the US Air Force as well as to the Navy, Marine Corps and allied nations.

The aircraft can also carry medical teams and patients for air evacuations, the US Air Force said.

Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, the Mildenhall base primarily supports US Air Force operations, and is the home of the 100th Air Refuelling Wing.

US President Joe Biden touched down in the airbase last June on his first international trip in office. In a speech, he thanked American servicemen and women for doing “an amazing job keeping Covid-19 under control on the base”.

He was the latest in a series of American leaders to visit the Suffolk base. These include Donald Trump, George W Bush and Richard Nixon.