A transatlantic jet diverted to Shannon Airport yesterday (Wednesday) after the crew declared a medical emergency.
Arkefky flight OR-336 was travelling from Cancun in Mexico to Amsterdam when the crew requested permission to divert and land at Shannon.
They confirmed that there were medical professionals on board who were caring for the patient.
They established that the passenger had a cardiac history and was exhibiting signs of a possible or impending cardiac episode.
The crew opted to divert and land as soon as possible requesting medical emergency services to be alerted and standing by for their arrival.
The medics continued to treat the passenger until the flight landed safely 9.10am. By this time the patient had been moved to a seat in the forward galley to allow easier access for paramedics.
The patient was removed from the aircraft and taken to University Hospital Limerick. No details about the patient were available.
The flight continued its journey at 10.48am after the crew received a new flight plan and the passengers baggage had been removed in accordance with security procedures.
Last Friday a passenger died on board a flight that diverted to Shannon despite the best efforts of cabin crew to save her.
The 64-year-old woman suffered a suspected cardiac arrest on board British Airways flight BA-274 which was travelling from Las Vegas to London.
Cabin crew members battled to resuscitate the woman for almost an hour before the flight touched down at Shannon. However, the woman was pronounced dead at the airport.
Shannon saw an almost two-fold increase in medical emergencies last year handling a total of 22 incidents where aircraft were forced to divert with ill patients. There were 12 similar incidents in 2013.
In April last year, a man in his 70’s died while another passenger was hospitalised after they both suffered suspected heart attacks on a flight that also diverted to Shannon.