A flight traveling from Nairobi to London on Monday, October 9, had to make an emergency landing due to a passenger falling ill mid-flight.
At approximately 2:19 p.m., the flight captain declared a medical emergency, necessitating contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) to request an expedited landing.
The statement from the airline mentioned that the onboard crew, along with the assistance of two medical doctors and a nurse, provided initial medical aid to the passenger. The captain communicated with Air Traffic Control (ATC) to secure an expedited landing for the passenger to receive further medical attention.
The aircraft successfully landed at 14:47 hrs, where paramedics were waiting to transport the passenger to a hospital for additional medical care. The specific airport where the emergency landing occurred was not disclosed in the airline's statement.
According to some reports, the Boeing 787-8 (twin-jet) aircraft was rerouted to land in Paris, France, before continuing its journey to the UK.
However, the airline's provided information lacked details regarding the departure time from Nairobi and the arrival time at Heathrow Airport.
Nevertheless, the international airline emphasized that the safety of both crew and passengers remains its top priority.
Flight tracking websites indicated that the plane departed Nairobi between 9:01 a.m. and 9:05 a.m. on Monday, October 9, and arrived at Heathrow at 4:15 p.m.
In such situations, airline crews are trained to handle in-flight medical emergencies and provide basic resuscitation as needed. They have access to medical kits but may seek consent from the affected passenger whenever possible.
Aviation health experts highlight that the consent process and documentation in these cases are similar to consultations in non-airline medical situations. The National Library of Medicine recommends maintaining medical notes and monitoring records after such incidents, with doctors retaining the documentation for at least three years, in accordance with the limitation period in many jurisdictions, including English law and Commonwealth countries.