A TRANSATLANTIC jet was forced to declare a medical emergency and divert to Shannon airport yesterday after the flight’s captain became incapacitated through illness. It is thought the captain suffered a heart attack.
The alarm was raised at about 3.30pm when the first officer (co-pilot) of Alitalia flight AZ604 contacted air traffic controllers in Shannon to notify them of the emergency.
The flight from Milan in Italy to John F Kennedy International Airport in New York was carrying 168 passengers and crew, including two off-duty Alitalia pilots, one of whom assisted the first officer in landing the Boeing 767-300 jet.
The captain was taken to the Mid Western Regional Hospital. The aircraft remained at Shannon last night as passengers were sent to local hotels. The passengers are expected to continue their journey at 9am today.