Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Pat Flynn

Flight declares emergency and diverts to Shannon Airport after young child falls seriously ill


A US-bound passenger jet diverted to Shannon Airport last night after the crew declared a medical emergency reporting a young child had fallen ill.

Turkish Airlines flight TK-29 was travelling from Istanbul, Turkey to Newark, New Jersey in the US at the time. The flight was about 250 kilometres west of Co Mayo when the crew turned around.

Shortly before 9pm, the flight crew made radio contact with air traffic controllers in Shannon and advised them they had a medical emergency on board and wished to divert to Shannon Airport. The crew reported that a young child had fallen ill.

READ MORE: Emergency services on standby as Aer Lingus flight returns to Shannon amid fears emergency door open

The Airbus A330-300 jet made a U-turn and routed directly to Shannon Airport. In the meantime, the National Ambulance Service was alerted and paramedics sent to the airport ahead of the jet’s arrival.

It’s understood that there was a doctor on board the aircraft who assessed the child and advised the crew to divert to seek medical assistance.

The flight crew also confirmed they would be making an overweight landing so airport fire and rescue crews were placed on standby as a precaution. This was in case the jet’s braking system overheated during the emergency landing.

The jet landed safely at 10.09pm and was pursued along the runway by emergency crews who also accompanied the aircraft to the terminal. The flight was met by airport authorities and ambulance paramedics. The child was later removed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.

The flight continued its journey shortly 12.35am once the aircraft had been refuelled and the crew received a new flight plan.

READ MORE: Rescue vehicles line Shannon Airport runway as private jet makes emergency landing amid fire fears

READ MORE: Flight makes emergency landing at Shannon Airport after declaring 'Mayday' amid on-board fire fears

Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter .

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.