A transatlantic flight made an emergency diversion to Shannon Airport early this morning after an elderly passenger was reported to have fallen ill.
Austrian Airlines flight OS-66 was travelling from Chicago in the United States to Vienna in Austria at the time. The flight was over an hour west of Ireland when the crew contacted air traffic controllers in Ireland to advise them of their medical emergency and of their request to divert and land in Shannon.
An elderly male passenger was reported to have fallen ill . The sick man was cared for by cabin crew staff as well as a doctor who was also travelling on the flight.
The flight crew confirmed they wished to divert to Shannon and requested emergency medical services to be available for them on arrival. The National Ambulance Service was contacted and requested to dispatch paramedics to the airport. Airport authorities and a ground handling company were also alerted.
The Boeing 777-200 series jet landed at 4.53am and was met at the terminal by medical personnel. The passenger was assessed on board by paramedics and later transported to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
The flight resumed its journey to Vienna shortly after 7.00am.
On Saturday, British Airways fight BA-223 diverted to Shannon Airport after a female passenger fell ill. That flight was travelling from London Heathrow airport to Nashville in the US state of Tennessee at the time.
The flight landed safely at 6.25pm and the woman was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick for treatment. The flight resumed its journey about two hours after diverting.
