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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Hebe Campbell

First plane touches down at Heathrow after unprecedented 18 hour airport shutdown

A British Airways jet became the first plane to land at Heathrow, as the airport re-opened after a 18 hour shutdown.

The airport, one of the busiest in the world, had grounded all flights due to a massive power outage triggered by a fire at a nearby electrical substation.

The aircraft touched down on Friday, approximately 18 hours after operations were suspended. Heathrow typically handles around 1,300 take-offs and landings daily across its two runways, making the disruption significant.

Investigations into the fire are ongoing. Despite a counter-terrorism probe being launched, authorities have found no direct evidence of sabotage.

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