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Fault forces Gatwick jet landing Fault forces Gatwick jet landing
(about 3 hours later)
A plane bound for Barbados was forced to return to Gatwick Airport after the captain reported a technical problem.A plane bound for Barbados was forced to return to Gatwick Airport after the captain reported a technical problem.
The Virgin Atlantic flight returned to the West Sussex airport an hour after take-off. The Virgin Atlantic flight returned to the West Sussex airport an hour after take-off but the airline said it was simply a precautionary measure.
A Gatwick spokesman said the plane had declared a problem and the fire service was on standby. The 310 people on board are said to be safe and well. Gatwick Airport said the Boeing 747-400 had declared a problem and the fire service had been put on standby.
The airline said it was simply a precautionary measure. Virgin said the 310 passengers will resume their journey to the Caribbean later on Saturday on a different plane.
A Virgin spokesman said the Boeing 747 will be examined and the passengers will either continue their flight on the plane or if the problem is more serious they will be transferred to a different one. A Virgin spokesman said an investigation into why flight VS29 returned to Gatwick was under way.
"The captain of the aircraft decided as a precautionary measure to go back to Gatwick," he said.
"Passengers will be accommodated on another aircraft, with extra upper class and premium economy seating, and leave later for Barbados.
"Virgin Atlantic gives the highest priority to the safety and security of its passengers and crew. Virgin Atlantic apologises for the inconvenience caused and the delay to passengers' journeys."