A Lufthansa long-haul flight from Cape Town to Frankfurt was forced to return to its departure airport on December 29, 2025, after experiencing a technical issue shortly after takeoff.
Flight LH577 was operated by an Airbus A340-300 registered D-AIGT. The aircraft departed Cape Town International Airport from runway 19 and was climbing out when the flight crew stopped the ascent at flight level 100 after indications showed that a landing gear door had failed to close properly.
The crew attempted several times to recycle the landing gear in an effort to resolve the issue, but these attempts were unsuccessful. As the aircraft was scheduled for a long-haul sector, the crew proceeded to dump fuel to reduce the aircraft’s weight before returning to Cape Town.
After approximately 135 minutes airborne, the aircraft landed safely back on runway 19. No injuries were reported, and emergency services were on standby as a precaution.
Lufthansa subsequently cancelled the flight. As of about 47 hours after landing, the Airbus A340 remains on the ground in Cape Town while maintenance teams carry out inspections and repairs.
The airline stated that the crew followed standard safety procedures and that the decision to return was made to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
