FILE PHOTO - The tail of a WestJet plane dwarfs the Calgary skyline before the airline's annual meeting in Calgary, Tuesday, May 3, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

U.K.-Canada WestJet plane declares emergency, lands in Iceland

LONDON – WestJet says a flight from London to Edmonton diverted to Iceland on Saturday after the crew discovered a "potential mechanical issue."

The pilots aboard the Boeing 767 declared an in-flight emergency about two hours after taking off from Gatwick Airport.

It landed safely at Keflavik airport, and the airline said "all guests and crew will be taken care of until we arrange new flights."

WestJet airline didn't disclose the nature of the mechanical issue, but said the plane would remain in Iceland for maintenance, and passengers would be put up in hotels and given meal vouchers.

It declined to say how many people were onboard flight WS27, citing competition reasons.

WestJet spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said that declaring an emergency "does not necessarily mean an actual emergency has occurred," and is a measure taken "out of an abundance of caution."

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Kim Anderson

Originally from a northern B.C. town that boasts a giant fly fishing rod and a population of 3,100, Kim moved to Kamloops in 2011 to attend Thompson Rivers University. Kim is as comfortable behind a camera as she is writing on her laptop. After graduating with a degree in journalism, Kim has been busy with an independent freelance writing project and photography work. Contact Kim at kanderson@infonews.ca with news tips or story ideas.

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