A transatlantic flight made an emergency dash to Shannon Airport early today after a passenger was reported to have fallen ill.
TUI Airlines (Belgium) flight TB-352 departed Cancún, Mexico at around 1.30am Irish time, destined for Brussels in Belgium.
The crew of the Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner jet issued a Mayday distress radio call reporting they had an elderly female passenger who had fallen ill and was unconscious.
It’s understood there were several medical professionals on board the flight who jumped into action to assess and treat the woman.
At Shannon, authorities were alerted to the inbound emergency while the airport’s fire and rescue service was also placed on standby for the aircraft’s arrival. The HSE’s National Ambulance Service was also alerted and requested to dispatch resources to the airport.
The flight landed safely in Shannon shortly after 9.00am and taxied directly to the terminal accompanied by fire crews. Paramedics were standing by to board aircraft and assess the patient.
The woman, believed to have been in a serious condition, was later removed to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
The flight resumed its journey to Brussels at 10.46am.