On April 16, 2024, ATR72-600 operated by Emerald Airlines UK, registration G-CMJJ, had to be diverted to Birmingham Airport due to a suspicious object found on board during the flight.

The turboprop aircraft was flying from Birmingham to Belfast under the Aer Lingus Regional brand, flight number EI3647. Shortly after takeoff, an unspecified object was found by the crew. However, this was classified as safety-relevant, so the captain immediately informed air traffic control.

The ATR72-600 was diverted to Birmingham Airport for a return landing. There the machine was received by a large contingent of the executive branch. This also had several armored vehicles in use. As a precautionary measure, flight operations in Birmingham were temporarily suspended.

After the ATR72-600 was brought to a safe area of ​​the airport. After the passengers and crew members were able to safely exit the turboprop aircraft, it was extensively examined by police explosives experts. However, the all-clear was given shortly afterwards. This also meant that operations at Birmingham Airport were reopened.

West Midlands Police confirmed the incident and stated, among other things, that it was a false alarm. The item found, which was not specified, turned out to be completely harmless. Nevertheless, the crew, with good intentions, acted completely correctly by immediately informing the authorities about a theoretically possible emergency situation.

When contacted, the affected airline, Emerald Airlines UK, said: “We can confirm that an undeclared item discovered today on Emerald Airlines Aer Lingus regional flight EI3647 from Birmingham to Belfast does not pose a safety risk. Our teams are currently working to accommodate the affected passengers.”