A United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER, en route to Rome, made an emergency landing in Iceland on June 22 due to mechanical issues. The aircraft, which had departed from San Francisco International Airport on June 21, descended to 21,000 feet and issued a distress signal before safely landing at Keflavik International Airport. Passengers were provided local accommodations until a replacement aircraft was arranged for their journey to Leonardo da Vinci International Airport.
The Boeing 777-200ER involved in the incident is a 26-year-old extended range variant with serial number 29480. Although no longer in production, its successor, the Boeing 777X series, is currently under development. This new generation maintains much of the original airframe design but incorporates modern advancements.
Qatar Airways recently placed a significant order for widebody jets that includes the next-generation Boeing models. Engineer Badr Mohammed Al-Meer of Qatar Group commented on this deal: "After two consecutive years of record-breaking commercial performance and with this historic Boeing aircraft order we're not simply chasing scale, we're building strength that will allow us to continue to deliver our unmatched products and customer experiences."