A plane heading to London from Nairobi on Monday, October 9, declared a medical emergency after a passenger fell ill.
According to the captain, the flight was disrupted at around 2:19 p.m., forcing him to contact Air Traffic Control (ATC) to request an expedited emergency landing.
“The crew on board assisted by two medical doctors and a nurse provided medical assistance to the passenger as the Captain declared a medical emergency with Air Traffic Control (ATC) so that the flight could get an expedited landing for the passenger to receive further medical attention,” read the statement.
The airline further stated that the aircraft landed safely at 14:47hrs and was received by paramedics who rushed the passenger to hospital for further medical attention.
However, the airline did not indicate the name of the airport where the plane made the emergency landing.
Some reports detailed that the Boeing 787-8 (twin-jet) plane was rerouted to land in Paris, France, before it continued its journey to the UK.
The information offered by the airline was also scanty, failing to clarify when the plane departed Nairobi or landed at Heathrow Airport.
Nonetheless, the international airline reiterated that its first priority is the safety of crew and customers.
A spot check on flight tracking websites indicated that the plane left Nairobi between 9:01 a.m. and 9:05 a.m. on Monday, October 9, arriving at Heathrow at 4:15 p.m.
An airline's crew is trained to manage inflight medical emergencies and basic resuscitation. The crew have access to medical kits, but at times, seek consent from the passenger who is ill for any treatment or procedure, whenever possible.
Aviation health experts say that the consent process and documentation are no different from a consultation in a non-airline situation.
"Maintain medical notes and monitoring records after the incident. The doctor should keep the documentation for at least three years, as it is the limitation period in many (English law/Commonwealth) jurisdictions. Most airline staff will write their own reports," the National Library of Medicine states.
