The aircraft involved, an Airbus A319 with 20 years of service and a capacity of around 150 passengers, took off from Lisbon at approximately 8:27 PM.

About half an hour into the flight, while crossing Spanish airspace over the Ávila area at an altitude of 38,000 feet (approximately 11.5 kilometres), the captain issued an alert to air traffic control.

According to CNN Portugal, the airline confirmed the diversion of flight EJU712466 due to a "technical issue," stating that a replacement aircraft and crew had been mobilised to transport the passengers to their final destination.

Although the low-cost carrier did not publicly specify the nature of the malfunction, data from the flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows that the aircraft performed a rapid descent to below 10,000 feet immediately after the emergency alert.

This standard safety procedure is typically employed in situations involving a loss of cabin pressure. In a statement sent to the television channel, easyJet reiterated that the safety of passengers and crew is its top priority, emphasising that it operates its entire fleet in strict compliance with the manufacturer's guidelines.