Mumbai-London BA Flight Hit with Mid-Air Emergency

A British Airways flight from Mumbai to London Heathrow was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Doha on 11 August 2025 due to a medical emergency onboard. The Mumbai-London service, operating as flight BA198, departed at 13:42 local time before changing course mid-flight.

Emergency Diversion to Doha

The Airbus A350-1041, registered G-XWBE, diverted to Hamad International Airport after a passenger reportedly suffered a critical health issue. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft veering off its planned route over the Arabian Sea and landing in Doha at 18:20 local time.

Medical Teams Respond

Upon arrival, local medical teams boarded the plane, and the passenger was disembarked for urgent treatment. ACARS messages indicated that capital police were present, likely for procedural clearance. Some unconfirmed reports suggest the passenger died during the flight, though no official confirmation has been released.

Continuation of the Journey

The aircraft remained in Doha for around four hours before resuming its journey. It departed again at 18:05 local time and arrived in London at 22:38.

Previous British Airways Incident

This diversion comes less than a month after another British Airways flight on 16 July was forced to return to Gatwick while en route from London to Cancun due to toxic fumes in the cabin. That Boeing 777-200 landed safely after oxygen masks were deployed, and several passengers and crew required medical evaluation.