BA plane forced to make emergency landing at Heathrow after passengers ‘smelt fumes’ & pilots seen wearing oxygen masks

A BRITISH Airways flight made an emergency landing at Heathrow airport today before firemen rushed onto the plane.

Passengers on the 5.22pm flight headed to Nice, France, said they noticed “strange smells” as the plane took off.

And one man claimed that he had seen the pilots wearing oxygen masks.

He tweeted: “Current passenger and happen to be a A320 pilot. Definitely strange smells. Pilots on oxygen masks.”

He added: “Firemen entered cockpit via airbridge. Seems nothing too critical as passengers still strapped in.”

Emergency services attended the scene as a precaution and the situation was stood down at 7pm. 

A spokesman for the airline confirmed the plane had to return to the airport after a technical issue. 

They said: “The aircraft landed normally after returning to Heathrow following reports of a technical issue.

“The safety of our customers and crew is always our priority.”

The exact nature of the technical issue is currently unknown.