KLM flight KL791 turned back toward Amsterdam Schiphol after declaring an emergency on a Sao Paulo-bound journey. The Boeing 777-300ER, PH-BVS, made the u-turn just off the French coast and later reached final approach over Amsterdam, where the return now shifts from diversion to landing inspection.
PH-BVS over the North Sea
At 1359 UK time, the aircraft began the turnback. By 1403 UK time, PH-BVS had been identified as the aircraft involved. The flight was originally bound for Sao Paulo, so the return left a long-haul itinerary cut short in mid-route and pushed the aircraft back toward its origin airport rather than continuing westward.
PH-BVS is a 9.4 year old Boeing 777-300ER delivered to the Dutch carrier in February 2017. KLM operates 16 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, all in active service, within a mainline fleet of 124 aircraft, of which 116 are active and eight are parked. Those fleet figures place the return in the context of an aircraft type KLM still uses heavily on long-haul flying.
KLM and the suspected oil leak
At 1408 UK time, the emergency was reported as a suspected oil leak. That wording matters operationally because it points to a possible mechanical or system issue, but the event was still being handled as a precautionary emergency rather than a routine delay. KL791 was then nearing the English coast while continuing its emergency diversion back to Amsterdam.
By 1414 UK time, fire crews might meet the aircraft on landing to inspect it. That was followed at 1418 UK time by the descent back into Amsterdam Schiphol, with KL791 descending through FL130 off the Dutch coast at 1428 UK time and entering the closing stages of descent at 1436 UK time. At 1440 UK time, the flight was on final approach.
Amsterdam Schiphol approach
The unresolved point is the landing outcome and whether inspection crews actually met PH-BVS after touchdown. The sequence now leaves passengers and crew at the point where the emergency turnback has been managed and the aircraft is being brought in under controlled conditions at Amsterdam Schiphol, with the suspected oil leak still the issue that drove the return.
