Ryanair flight returns to Porto after pilot logs possible hijack code
A Ryanair Boeing 737 bound for Dublin turned back to Porto when the captain entered squawk 7500, citing a possible hijacking after a passenger caused a disturbance.
At 10.25 pm, Ryanair flight FR7073 left Porto for Dublin when a passenger presented the crew with documents alleging she was pursued by three individuals. The woman’s behavior was described as disorderly, prompting the pilot to activate squawk code 7500, the standard signal for a hijacking or cockpit intrusion. Controllers directed the aircraft back to Porto, where police took custody of the passenger and the plane landed without incident.
After the passenger was identified, the aircraft was cleared to resume the journey, departing shortly before 1.30 am and reaching Dublin around 3.15 am, roughly two and a half hours behind schedule. Conflicting reports exist about whether the incident was a genuine security threat or a false alarm caused by the passenger’s actions. Former TAP Air Portugal pilot Jose Correia Guedes noted the procedure followed when code 7500 is entered, but could not confirm the exact nature of the threat.
