A US-bound passenger jet has diverted to Shannon Airport after the crew reported a young child had fallen seriously ill.
The flight, which was travelling from Turkey to the US was about 250 kilometres west of Mayo, when the crew declared a medical emergency and turned around.
Shortly before 9 o’clock last night, as Turkish Airlines flight TK-29 was travelling from Istanbul to Newark, flight crew made radio contract with air traffic controllers in Shannon and advised them they had a medical emergency on board and needed to divert.
Its understood a doctor on board the aircraft assessed a child who had fallen ill and advised the crew to divert to seek medical assistance.
The Airbus A330-300 jet subsequently 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.
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, in case the jet’s braking system overheated during the emergency landing.
The jet landed safely just after 10 o’clock and was met by emergency crews, airport authorities and ambulance paramedics.
The child was later removed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
The flight continued its journey shortly after 12.30 this morning, once the aircraft had been refuelled and the crew received a new flight plan.
