RAF Typhoon declares emergency over North Sea, returns to Coningsby airbase

An in-flight emergency was declared by a Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 flying over the North Sea on August 27, 2025, while on a mission from RAF Coningsby. 

The aircraft, registration ZK339 and using the callsign PALADN42, squawked 7700 – the international transponder code for a general emergency – then turned back toward base. At the time of publication, the fighter is thought to have landed in Coningsby.  

It appeared that PALADN42 had just completed an air-to-air refueling with the Airbus KC2 Voyager tanker TARTAN39 operating out of RAF Brize Norton before the emergency code was transmitted. 

A second Typhoon on the sortie, callsign PALADN41, appeared to accompany the aircraft on the recovery, before heading towards Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK). 

Shortly after the incident began, another Typhoon FGR.4, using the callsign RAMPGE42, departed from RAF Coningsby. It is not yet clear whether this sortie was related to the emergency or part of a separate operation. 

Helicopters seen on trackers 

Flightradar24 showed multiple helicopters routing toward the area around the time PALADN42 broadcast the emergency code: two Airbus Helicopters H175s operated by CHC Helicopter and a Leonardo AW169 operated by Uni-Fly, both flying from Coningsby, plus a Leonardo AW139 operated by Bond Helicopters and flying from Norwich.  

Of the helicopters seen in the area, at least two belong to operators with dedicated search-and-rescue (SAR) roles in the North Sea. 

Squawking 7700 signals a general emergency to air traffic control and nearby aircraft, which triggers priority handling. The code does not specify the nature of the issue. The RAF has yet to disclose the cause of the alert. 

About RAF Coningsby

At RAF Coningsby, No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron and No. 11 (Fighter) Squadron operate the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Typhoon fleet responsible for protecting UK airspace. These aircraft are on standby 24/7 to intercept unidentified or potentially hostile aircraft approaching British airspace, working in close coordination with the QRA station at RAF Lossiemouth.  

The base also houses No. 12 Squadron, a joint RAF–Qatar Emiri Air Force training unit; No. 29 Squadron, the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit (OCU); and No. 41 Squadron, which serves as the Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES). 

AeroTime has approached the RAF for comment. We will update this story if and when more information becomes available. The post RAF Typhoon declares emergency over North Sea, returns to Coningsby airbase appeared first on AeroTime.

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