Ryanair flight returns to Porto after hijack code transmitted

A Ryanair flight to Dublin turned back to Porto shortly after departure when the captain transmitted the hijack squawk code, according to a report. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-8 MAX registered EI-IKJ, had just left Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport when the code was entered.

Transponder code 7500 signals a hijack attempt or an unauthorised intrusion into the flight deck. The captain entered it as the jet climbed through 12,000 feet, the report states. Air traffic control activated emergency protocols and sought confirmation from the crew to rule out an accidental input before alerting national defence, law enforcement and airport emergency services.

Once the threat level was confirmed, controllers cleared the surrounding airspace and gave the crew radar vectors for an immediate return to Porto, according to the report. The aircraft touched down safely near midnight, about 37 minutes after departure.

Roughly two hours later the flight resumed to Dublin without further incident, landing shortly after 3am. The report did not state what prompted the code to be entered, and no cause has been given.