A transatlantic flight diverted to Shannon Airport this afternoon after the crew declared a medical emergency off the South West coast.
The passengers were due to continue their journey later this evening on a replacement aircraft that was due to reposition from London. However, the onward flight has since been cancelled.
United Airlines flight UA-53 was travelling from Zurich, Switzerland to Washington in the US at the time. There were 151 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 767-300(ER) jet.
The flight was about two hours into its journey and about 80kms off the South West coast when the flight crew contacted air traffic controllers in Ireland and declared a medical emergency and requested to divert to Shannon Airport.
Authorities at Shannon were advised of the unscheduled arrival while the National Ambulance Service was also contacted and requested to mobilise resources to meet the flight.
After the flight crew confirmed they would be making an over-weight landing, the airport’s Fire and Rescue Service was alerted and mobilised to standby positions adjacent to the runway in accordance with procedures.
The flight landed safely at 1.35pm and was pursued along the runway by airport fire service vehicles which also accompanied the jet to the terminal where ambulance paramedics and airport staff were also waiting to meet the aircraft.
Fire crews carried out an inspection of the jet’s undercarriage to ensure the braking system hadn’t overheated during the overweight landing. Crews remained with the aircraft for some time after it landed.
Soon after the flight reached the terminal, National Ambulance Service paramedics arrived at the airport. An ambulance and rapid response paramedic vehicle were dispatched to the airport. The passenger was assessed at treated by paramedics before being removed to University Hospital Limerick.
The remaining passengers have since been deboarded and are being cared for in the airport’s transit lounge.
A replacement aircraft and crew are due in Shannon later this afternoon and are expected to take the passengers from flight 53 onto their destination.
