1 month ago
A medical issue onboard a United Airlines flight escalated into a biohazard on Sunday. According to audio from the flight, a crew member says the smell was so severe that crew and passengers were becoming ill and requesting masks.
The United Airlines flight was diverted after a passenger experienced a "medical issue" onboard. (AP/Representational)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 29, 2024 09:23 IST
A US airline's flight from Houston to Boston was diverted to Washington on Sunday after a passenger experienced a medical issue that led to a “biohazard” situation on board.
Audio captured from the United Airlines flight and shared on social media indicates that the situation escalated rapidly, with crew members and other passengers becoming ill due to the severe odour from the incident, reported the New York Post
The Boeing 737-800, carrying 155 passengers and six crew members, departed Houston around 9:30 a.m. and landed at Dulles Airport in Washington around 1:30 p.m., after the crew reported a “medical emergency”, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
It got so bad that crew members fell ill and started vomiting, while passengers, also feeling queasy from the smell, demanded masks. A doctor on board declared the situation a biohazard and urged the pilots to land as soon as possible.
"I talked to the crew and it sounds like it’s quite bad back there. The crew is vomiting, and passengers all around are asking for masks," a crew member said in the audio.
According to the Boston Globe, the plane remained at Dulles for several hours while undergoing a “deep clean” before departing for Boston, reaching its destination over five hours late.
United Airlines said no passengers or crew required medical attention after landing.
In September 2023, a Delta Airlines flight witnessed a similar "biohazard issue" due to a passenger suffering from severe diarrhoea, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.
Published By:
Devika Bhattacharya
Published On:
Jul 29, 2024
