Several flights diverted after plane blocks Gatwick runway

Some flights were diverted from Gatwick Airport after an aircraft temporarily closed one of its runways.

Emergency services encountered the British Airways plane as it was landing as a precaution after reports the plane had a “technical fault”.

One of the diverted planes, an EasyJet flight from Rome to Gatwick that had already been delayed, was forced to land at Stanstead airport instead and was later stranded there because it could not find fuel.

Passengers remained on the plane for more than two hours before disembarking at midnight.

It was reported that the BA plane, which temporarily closed the runway at Gatwick Airport, had a landing gear problem. BA said the plane landed safely and passengers disembarked normally.

A London Gatwick spokesman said: “In the early hours of this morning, the runway was closed briefly due to a technical issue with the aircraft.

“As a result, a small number of flights were diverted and the majority subsequently returned to London Gatwick. As always, safety and security is our number one priority.”

There were some delays arriving and departing from Gatwick Airport on Wednesday, but it was not clear whether these were linked to earlier runway closures.