SAUDIA A320 from Abu Dhabi – Jeddah declares emergency

A SAUDIA A320 operating a scheduled flight from Abu Dhabi to Jeddah has declared an emergency in the last few moments, and is initiating a return to Abu Dhabi.

SAUDIA flight SV571 Abu Dhabi – Jeddah

SAUDIA flight SV571, an Airbus A320-200 operating from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) declared a general emergency not long after departure, squawking code 7700.

The flight is currently negotiating a diversion and return to the departure airport. The nature of the emergency warranting the precautionary return is not known at this time.

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Flight track of SAUDIA flight SV571 Abu Dhabi to Jeddah showing return to Abu Dhabi.

Data shows the flight had made an on-time departure from Abu Dhabi at 15:15 GST this afternoon, and established on flight plan track for Jeddah, climbing to FL250 (25,000 feet) before initiating a descent and declaring an emergency with code 7700.

Diversion and return AUH

The flight had been airborne for approximately 30 minutes before negotiating the subsequent return to AUH.

Weather for the flight’s return to AUH is visual flight conditions (VFR), with nil cloud and visibility 10km or more. The flight has subsequently made its landing on RWY31 AUH and taxied clear.

The aircraft involved in this afternoon’s flight is an Airbus A320-200, registered HZ-AS79; a 5-year old narrowbody aircraft belonging to the carrier SAUDIA. This aircraft was originally delivered to the carrier in August 2018, where it has operated ever since.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.