Contractions at 41,000 feet.
A transatlantic British Airways flight travelling from Washington to Heathrow in London was forced to divert to Shannon Airport, after a pregnant woman began experiencing contractions on board earlier today.
The Boeing 787-900 jet was about 50kms south of Ireland when the crew advised air traffic controllers they had a ‘medical situation’ on board and might need to divert to Shannon.
A short time later, after the crew had assessed the situation, the pilot declared a ‘Pan’ medical emergency and requested clearance to turn around and divert to Shannon.
The crew confirmed they had a pregnant woman on board who appeared to be having contractions.
The flight landed safely at 10.05am and was met by airport personnel and National Ambulance Service paramedics who quickly boarded the flight. The woman was taken to hospital in Limerick for treatment.
A British Airways spokesman confirmed: “The flight diverted into Shannon as a precaution for a minor medical reason. The plan is for the flight to continue to Heathrow.”
