Virgin flight from Lagos to London diverts to Spain after medical emergency

A Virgin Atlantic flight BS 412 from Lagos to London was diverted to Palmar in Spain Tuesday after a male passenger became severely ill on board.

The plane, an Airbus A330, had taken off from the Lagos airport at the scheduled time of 10am but about half way through the 6 hours flight the pilot announced there had been a medical emergency. A passenger had fallen ill and was unable to breath.

A passenger onboard told BusinessDay that firstly, the cabin crew who were at this time serving lunch rushed frantically to the section of the plane where the passenger was fighting for his life.

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Minutes later the pilot made a passionate appeal for help from any medical personnel on board and to which a male doctor immediately responded.

“After an unusually user one hour during which efforts were made to try to breathe life into the ill man, the pilot announced that having consulted senior airline managers in London, he will be diverting the plane to Palmar in Spain to allow for the disembarkation of the passenger so he can be taken to hospital there for urgent medical care,” the passenger narrated.

The plane with a full complement of passengers, mostly parents and their children going on vacation or heading back to school in the UK landed safely in the hilly tourist city in Spain.

The aircraft then taxied to a remote location of the airport where a well apportioned team of medical personnel was waiting with an ambulance.

BusinessDay learnt that the sick passenger was successfully removed from the plane and at this point the pilot announced that he now expects the passenger will get the best of care and hoped the outcome will be a positive one.

Passengers offered the doctor an ovation as he walked back to retake his seat.

The plane thereafter restarted the journey having refuelled and flying for two hours or so before landing in London at 6.32pm Lagos time.