Update:
9.40am – The flight resumed its journey to Prague at 9.35am.
A transatlantic flight was forced to divert to Shannon Airport early this morning after a passenger was injured in a fall on board.
American Airlines flight AA-52 was travelling from Philadelphia in U.S. to Prague in the Czech Republic when the crew declared a medical emergency shortly after 5.00am.
The crew reported they had a woman in her 50s who had suffered a fall and a possible seizure. It’s understood that a number of medical professionals including doctors were travelling on the flight and assessed the woman.
After consulting with cabin crew staff, the doctors agreed that it would be best to divert to the nearest suitable airport and have the woman assessed further in hospital.
Authorities at Shannon were informed of the incoming emergency aircraft and the National Ambulance Service was contacted and requested to mobilise resources to the airport.
The Airbus A330-200 landed at 5.50am and taxied to terminal where ground staff and ambulance paramedics were waiting to meet the aircraft. The woman was removed to University Hospital Limerick for treatment however her condition is not known.
The flight is due to resume its journey later this morning.
It was the second medical diversion to Shannon Airport in just 18 hours.
A holiday jet made an unscheduled landing at the mid-west airport yesterday afternoon so a passenger could receive medical attention.
Thomson flight BY-1448 landed at 4.33pm and resumed its journey shortly after 6.00pm. A woman was removed to hospital by ambulance for treatment.