Mid-air emergency declared on Londonderry-bound flight

A mid-air emergency was declared on a Loganair flight from London Heathrow to the City of Derry airport on Thursday, prompting passengers to brace as the aircraft descended over the Irish Sea, according to one traveller. Joanne McLaughlin said the first announcements were “absolutely terrifying” and that for several minutes there was no further update while people appeared visibly distressed. The airline later said a cockpit windscreen had cracked. The captain announced the altitude was lowered to normalize cabin pressure, then planned an emergency landing at Belfast City airport before continuing to Derry. The flight landed on time with passengers and crew unharmed.