Ryanair Boeing 737 Declares Mid-Air Fuel Emergency After Iberia Jet Blocks Nantes Runway

A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 declared a low fuel emergency mid-air after an engine failure on a separate aircraft blocked the only runway at Nantes Atlantique Airport, forcing the Ryanair jet to divert to an alternate airport, according to reports from aviation trackers and news outlets.

The aircraft, tail number EI-EBK, was operating flight FR5448 from Seville, Spain, to Nantes Atlantique Airport in western France. Departing Sevilla Airport at 5:35 PM, the jet was on final approach to Nantes just after 7:00 PM on July 6 when an Iberia Regional Bombardier CRJ-1000, operated by Air Nostrum bound for Madrid, suffered an engine failure during takeoff. One engine was shut down after sustaining damage from foreign object debris believed to have come from a tire that burst during departure. 

The CRJ successfully got airborne but had to circle back immediately for an emergency landing, scattering debris across the runway in the process. With Nantes' only commercial runway now blocked, the Ryanair crew was forced to go around and divert elsewhere as fuel reserves dwindled.

Pilots issued a "Mayday Fuel" call, the formal declaration used when an aircraft's remaining fuel is projected to fall below final reserve levels on landing. The declaration grants the flight priority handling from air traffic controllers and clears the path for an immediate approach. The pilots switched the transponder to code 7700: the universal emergency squawk, and climbed to 20,000 feet before being vectored toward Brest. 

The Ryanair jet was subsequently diverted to Brest Bretagne Airport, approximately 150 miles northwest of Nantes, where it landed safely 2 hours and 40 minutes after departing Seville.

The Iberia Regional Incident

The chain of events was set in motion when the Air Nostrum Bombardier CRJ-1000, operating as Iberia Regional flight IB1222, experienced an engine failure during takeoff from Nantes. 

One engine was shut down due to foreign object debris from a burst tire, scattering debris across the runway surface. The stricken aircraft made an emergency landing back at the airport, but the debris field effectively closed the entire airport to arrivals and departures. Nantes Atlantique Airport has only one commercial runway, meaning any closure immediately grounds all traffic. 

The runway remained closed for approximately four hours.

Priority Landing at Brest

According to flight tracking data cited by Simple Flying, the Ryanair jet touched down safely at Brest Bretagne Airport after air traffic control cleared the path for an immediate approach. No injuries were reported. Passengers disembarked normally once the aircraft reached the gate, though many faced extended waits before onward travel to Nantes could be arranged. Brest is approximately 300 kilometers from Nantes, meaning passengers were left significantly short of their intended destination late in the evening.

The "Mayday Fuel" call is the formal declaration used when an aircraft's remaining fuel is projected to fall below final reserve levels on landing. Its use does not automatically indicate that an aircraft is about to run dry, but rather that the crew can no longer guarantee a safe landing with regulatory fuel margins intact.

What Happens Next

Passengers aboard the diverted flight were expected to continue their journey to Nantes once the runway reopened and aircraft availability allowed. Ryanair typically arranges onward transport or rebooking in cases of significant diversion, though delays of several hours are common during major disruption events.

The incident serves as a reminder of how quickly a single emergency can cascade through an airport's operations, particularly at airports with only one runway, where any closure immediately grounds all traffic.