A British Airways flight travelling from London to Bangkok was forced to make an urgent emergency landing in Romania after four passengers fell seriously ill mid-flight, triggering a major medical alert.
The Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying hundreds of passengers, diverted to Bucharest's Henri Coandă International Airport on Monday evening following the concerning medical incident at 35,000 feet.
Emergency Response on the Tarmac
Upon landing, Romanian authorities scrambled multiple ambulances and emergency medical teams to meet the aircraft. Video footage from the scene showed paramedics boarding the plane while it sat on the tarmac, with emergency vehicles surrounding the aircraft.
All four affected passengers were immediately evacuated from the flight and transported to local hospitals for urgent medical treatment. The nature of their illness remains undisclosed, though the situation was serious enough to warrant the dramatic diversion.
Passenger Ordeal and Ongoing Investigation
Remaining passengers faced significant delays as the aircraft underwent thorough checks and cleaning procedures. British Airways confirmed the diversion was due to "a number of passengers falling ill on board."
"Our crew took care of our customers, and the aircraft landed safely in Bucharest," a British Airways spokesperson stated. "We provided hotel accommodation for customers and will get them to their destination as soon as possible."
The incident has prompted an investigation into the cause of the sudden illness outbreak, with aviation authorities working to determine whether it was related to onboard conditions, food service, or coincidental medical emergencies.
This marks another disruption for British Airways, which has faced several high-profile incidents in recent months, raising questions about aviation safety protocols and emergency response procedures for long-haul flights.
