Three transatlantic flights diverted to Shannon Airport in a 17-hour period on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as crews declared medical emergencies
Three transatlantic flights were diverted to Shannon Airport within a 17-hour period spanning Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Two of these unscheduled landings took place this morning, with Shannon being the only fully operational airport in Ireland on Christmas Day each year.
In the early hours of this morning, Delta Air Lines flight DL-224 was en route to Paris after leaving Boston at around 1.50am (Irish time). Over an hour west of Ireland, the crew declared a medical emergency and requested clearance to divert.
Shannon Airport authorities were informed of the unexpected arrival and ground handling crews were also alerted. The National Ambulance Service was contacted and asked to mobilise resources to the airport.
The flight touched down at 7.33am and was met at the terminal by ambulance paramedics. A passenger was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) for treatment.
The flight resumed its journey to Paris at approximately 10.15am, reports the Irish Mirror.
Later, an American Airlines flight from the US to London was also diverted to Shannon Airport after the crew declared a medical emergency. Flight AA-174 left Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina at around 2.10am (Irish time) bound for Heathrow in London.
The crew informed air traffic controllers here that they had a sick passenger on board and needed to divert and seek medical assistance. The National Ambulance Service was contacted and asked to dispatch resources to Shannon.
The Boeing 777-223(ER) jet landed safely at 8.39am and was met at the airport terminal by ambulance paramedics. The patient was taken to UHL by ambulance for treatment.
The flight has since continued onto Heathrow.
On Christmas Eve, a flight from France to the United States diverted to Shannon after the crew declared a medical emergency. Air France flight AF-334 was en route from Paris to Boston and was about 200 kilometres off the Irish south coast when the crew contacted air traffic controllers at Shannon and requested to divert.
The Airbus A350-941 jet rerouted to Shannon where it landed shortly before 4.00pm. The Shannon Airport’s fire and rescue service was alerted and mobilised to holding positions adjacent to the runway ahead of the aircraft’s arrival.
This is standard procedure at Shannon for any aircraft that has dumped fuel or has to make an overweight landing.
Fire crews accompanied the aircraft to the terminal where airport authorities and ambulance paramedics were standing by. The passenger was taken to hospital for treatment and the flight resumed its journey later.
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