United Airlines Flight UA169 Declares Emergency and Diverts to Heathrow from Venice

United Airlines flight UA169 (callsign UAL169), a Boeing 767-400 registered N76062, departed Venice Marco Polo Airport (LIPZ) at 11:10 a.m. local time (09:10 UTC) on August 24, 2026, bound for London Heathrow (EGLL). ADS-B data reviewed by SkyMeter shows the aircraft climbed initially eastward on a heading of 111 degrees before turning southwest and then west, reaching a cruise altitude of approximately 31,100 feet as it tracked northwest across Europe toward the United Kingdom.

At 11:08 a.m. UTC, roughly 107 minutes into the flight and while still at cruise altitude near 30,769 feet, the aircraft broadcast a 7700 emergency squawk. The flight continued westbound at cruise altitude for a short time before beginning a descent around 11:12 a.m. UTC. The descent involved a series of turns, including a swing south toward 233 degrees and then a loop back through headings of 180, 124, and 84 degrees, with the aircraft leveling near 17,400 feet in the vicinity of Cardiff International Airport (EGFF) for roughly 16 minutes. According to airlive.net, the aircraft dumped fuel during this period before proceeding to Heathrow.

After departing the holding area near Cardiff, the aircraft resumed its descent, tracking eastward and passing through 9,000 feet before continuing down on an approach heading of approximately 88 to 90 degrees. It touched down at Heathrow at 11:58 a.m. local London time (11:58 UTC), completing a flight of about two hours and 48 minutes from departure. The full track of this emergency diversion can be replayed on SkyMeter.