Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
Prior to coasting out westbound; our left windshield cracked; spreading like an alligator hide across the entire windscreen and producing an ECAM for windshield anti-ice failure. There was evidence of burned wires etc. in the windscreen. We initiated an emergency descent; called the relief pilot back to the flight deck and coordinated a diversion to the nearest suitable airport; which was approximately 200 miles away; where we landed uneventfully; although over ZZZZ.
A westbound transatlantic heavy Airbus flight; prior to coasting out; suffered a severely cracked Captain's windshield; apparently the result of faulty/failed windshield heat wiring. The flight diverted to the nearest suitable airport.