US B-52 Bomber Issues Distress Call Over UK [View all]

Source: Newsweek

Published Mar 24, 2026 at 06:39 AM EDT updated Mar 24, 2026 at 09:33 AM EDT


A U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bomber issued a distress call while flying over Britain on Tuesday morning, according to flight tracking data. According to Flight Radar, the U.S. Air Force aircraft was flying near Bristol in the west of England when it made a 7700 call, a code issued to signal an "urgency" or "distress" situation onboard a plane.

Flight tracking data reviewed by Newsweek showed the plane had later landed at RAF Fairford at around 9.40am local time, with the nature of the emergency still unclear. Newsweek has approached the Pentagon and British Ministry of Defence for more information in an email sent outside of regular working hours.

Why It Matters

A fleet of American military planes are currently stationed at RAF Fairford, including B-1 Lancer bombers, after British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer granted the U.S. permission to use it, as well as Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean during, the Iran war.

The conventionally armed bomber is one of six B-52 Stratofortress and 12 B-1B Lancers that have been forward-deployed to Fairford since the second week of March.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/us-b52-distress-call-uk-11726217