Manchester, UK, Aug. 24 – A TUI Airways Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight BY439 from Cape Verde to Manchester Airport declared a low fuel emergency after a security breach forced a go-around. The aircraft, registration G-TUMN, departed Aristides Pereira International Airport following a 2.5-hour delay and approached runway 05L after five hours airborne. Air traffic control ordered an immediate go-around when Greater Manchester Police responded to an unauthorized individual entering the active airfield perimeter around 11:20 PM.
The TUI Boeing 737 MAX 8 entered a holding pattern at 6,000 feet over the Peak District for approximately 20 minutes while the security incident was resolved. With fuel reserves critically low, the crew declared a general emergency using squawk code 7700. Controllers then prioritized vectors for an urgent diversion to East Midlands Airport, where the jet landed safely on runway 09 shortly after midnight.
Ground teams rapidly refueled the aircraft at East Midlands. Once the intruder was apprehended and Manchester Airport reopened 15 minutes later, flight BY439 departed again within one hour. The short repositioning leg lasted 18 minutes, reaching only 8,000 feet before descent, and the Boeing 737 MAX 8 touched down on Manchester runway 05L at 1:35 AM.
No injuries occurred among passengers or crew during this low fuel emergency diversion involving the TUI Boeing 737 MAX 8. Manchester Airport confirmed normal operations resumed overnight after the security breach, underscoring effective coordination in aviation emergency response and flight safety protocols for scheduled international arrivals.