British Airways Flight From Accra Diverts to Lyon Following Mid-Air Medical Emergency Over France

British Airways flight BA78 from Accra to London makes an emergency landing in Lyon. Read about the A350 diversion and the passenger medical emergency.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 4:31 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from AIRLIVE

Emergency Squawk Over French Airspace

A routine long-haul service from West Africa to the United Kingdom took a critical turn early Monday morning when the flight crew of British Airways flight BA78 declared an international emergency. While the Airbus A350-1000 was cruising at 38,000 feet over continental Europe, the pilots transmitted a Squawk 7700 code, signaling a general emergency to air traffic control. This immediate notification allowed the aircraft to receive priority routing as the crew prepared for a rapid descent into the nearest suitable diversion airfield. The shift from a standard flight path to an emergency profile was necessitated by a deteriorating medical situation involving a passenger on board.

Rapid Descent and Landing in Lyon

Following the declaration of the emergency, the aircraft, registered as G-XWBG, initiated a swift descent from its cruising altitude to reach Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport. The flight had originally departed Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, at 10:25 PM on Sunday and was approximately five hours into its journey when the diversion was initiated. The wide-body jet touched down safely on the runway in Lyon at 5:26 AM local time, where it was met by pre-positioned emergency medical teams. This prompt arrival ensured that the affected individual could be transferred to local hospital facilities without the further delay of completing the trip to London.

Ground Operations and Medical Transfer

Upon arrival in Lyon, the aircraft remained on the tarmac for roughly two hours to facilitate the medical evacuation and fulfill necessary administrative requirements. During this time, the flight was refueled and cleared for the remainder of its journey to the United Kingdom. Local medical authorities in Lyon took custody of the passenger, although British Airways has declined to provide specific details regarding the individual's condition or identity, citing standard privacy protocols. The remaining passengers remained on board the aircraft as the ground crew worked to prepare the flight for a second departure.