A U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bomber issued a distress call while flying over Britain on Tuesday morning, according to flight tracking data.
According to Flight Radar, the U.S. Air Force aircraft was flying near Bristol in the west of England when it made a 7700 call, a code issued to signal an “urgency” or “distress” situation onboard a plane.
Flight tracking data reviewed by Newsweek showed the plane had later landed at RAF Fairford at around 9.40am local time, with the nature of the emergency still unclear.
Newsweek has approached the Pentagon and British Ministry of Defence for more information in an email sent outside of regular working hours.
A fleet of American military planes are currently stationed at RAF Fairford, including B-1 Lancer bombers, after British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer granted the U.S. permission to use it, as well as Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean during, the Iran war.

The conventionally armed bomber is one of six B-52 Stratofortress and 12 B-1B Lancers that have been forward-deployed to Fairford since the second week of March.
Starmer had given permission for the U.S. to use the two bases for “defensive” purposes amid a souring of his relationship with President Donald Trump over his stance on the U.S.-Israeli offensive.
The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear or conventional weapons. The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at alтιтudes of up to 50,000 feet, according to U.S. Air Force data. The aircraft has a range of 8,800 miles and has five crew.
The aircraft in the recent incident had taken off from RAF Fairford at 9.20am local time, according to flight tracking data, it then issued a 7700 signal before returning to base 18 minutes later. The nature of the flight has not been disclosed.

Specialist outlet The Aviationist reported on Monday that pH๏τographs showed the B-52H strategic bombers flying from RAF Fairford were now being armed with GBU-31 smart bombs after previously being equipped with AGM-158 stand-off missiles.
Earlier in the conflict, a KC-135 refueling aircraft that was supporting operations against Iran crashed in western Iraq killing all six crew members on board.
U.S. Central Command said that the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace” and that the other plane landed safely.
It said the circumstances of the crash are under investigation but that the loss of the aircraft was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”
This article includes reporting by The ᴀssociated Press.