An Air Algerie Boeing 737-600, registration 7T-VJQ performing flight AH-1020 from Algiers (Algeria) to Marseille (France) with 97 passengers, was enroute at FL340 about 120nm northnortheast of Algiers when the crew decided to return to Algiers setting their transponder to the general emergency squawk. The aircraft returned to Algiers for a safe landing about one hour after departure.
The flight hit the headlines of Global Media due to lack of coverage by a certain flight tracking website, where the aircraft “went missing” below FL170. That website stated however, too, they believed they lost the aircraft due to lack of coverage and not because the aircraft went missing.
Official Algerian sources stated, the aircraft has safely landed back in Algiers.
On Aug 7th 2016 the airline reported the aircraft returned due to a contaminated fuel filter, the engine needed to be shut down.
The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Algiers about 25 hours after landing.
The Aviation Herald
Air Algérie flight 1020 – UPDATE 2
