United Airlines Flight from San Francisco to Rome Makes Emergency Landing Over Atlantic

June 25, 2025: A United Airlines flight carrying 275 passengers and 14 crew members en route from San Francisco to Rome made an emergency landing at Keflavík International Airport due to technical problems. The Boeing 777, with 26 years of service, had to halt its journey after 8 hours of flight. While flying over the Atlantic, the plane began a rapid descent to 6,400 meters, prompting the crew to send an international emergency squawk code 770 and divert the route to Iceland.

Once on the ground, the pilot instructed passengers to disembark, and the flight was canceled due to the technical issues. Passengers were rerouted to other flights, according to Aviation Source News. In the emergency message sent to the Icelandic airport, the pilot reported preparing for an approach to runway 01 after descending below 3,000 meters.

United Airlines confirmed to People magazine that the incident was caused by a “mechanical problem.” All passengers bound for Rome were rebooked on a different aircraft.

This incident follows recent technical problems with Air India flights. Notably, a Boeing 787 returned to Hong Kong airport due to an unspecified malfunction after a similar plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, resulting in over 200 deaths with only one survivor.

Among the victims of the Ahmedabad crash was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was traveling to London with others of Indian origin, including a family preparing to start a new life in England. Only one person survived the tragic accident.