Flight reports smoke on board and makes emergency landing at Shannon
A transatlantic flight has diverted to Shannon Airport this afternoon after the crew declared an emergency, reporting smoke on board.
Pakistan Airlines flight PK-711 from Manchester to New York was just north of Omagh in Co Tyrone when the crew requested permission to divert to Shannon.
Airport crash crews took up positions at dedicated holding points along the runway in advance of the aircraft's arrival. There were 205 passengers and crew on board.
Fire crews from Shannon town and Limerick city were mobilised to the airport along with ambulances from Ennis and Limerick.
Before the Boeing 777-300 jet could land, the crew had to dump several thousand litres of aviation fuel to ensure they could land within safe landing weight limits.
The flight touched down safely at 2.38pm.
Fire crews quickly surrounded the jet on the runway to check whether the landing gear had overheated during the heavy landing.
The jet was able to taxi to the terminal where a further investigation of the problem is being undertaken.
