Gatwick plane diverted as EasyJet flights declare emergency

EastJet flight EZY8336 was diverted while on approach to the airport. Two EasyJet flights were affected by the incident, both declaring an emergency.

According to the Met Office, wind speeds at Gatwick were reaching 36mph at the time.

One flight diverted moments away from touching down at Gatwick (Image: ADSBexchange)

An Airbus A321neo from Toulouse was sent to Stansted Airport, north of London, after looping in the skies above Sussex as part of a holding pattern.

It landed at Stansted at 12.43pm on December 20. Stansted is the UK's designated airport for security incidents.

Passenger Cyril Haessig said: "We were just a few minutes away from landing after going through some heavy crosswind.

“Suddenly, the captain put full thrusts on and aborted the landing.”

Cyril was flying back with his wife and daughter after a holiday in the South of France.

"Passengers were anxious,” he added.

“I think we were very close to landing, with the flaps and landing gears down, and suddenly we went back up at full speed.

"I must say the crew was excellent."

The pilot was said to have told passengers this was "the first time in his 21-year career" that this had happened.

A spokeswoman for EasyJet confirmed a flight from Toulouse to Gatwick was "unable to land due to winds gusting outside the limits of the aircraft”.

She said: "Passengers disembarked normally and are being provided with onward transfers to London Gatwick. 

“The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and while this was outside of our control, we would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused.”