A Qantas flight from London to Singapore was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Azerbaijan on Monday after a female passenger suffered a major cardiac event mid-air. The Airbus A380, operating as flight QF2, diverted to Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, the closest suitable runway for the aircraft.
Australian doctor Hamish Urquhart, who was onboard, told ABC News that the woman in her 60s required intravenous access while the plane was attempting to land. He described the pilot's manoeuvre as a 'dramatic 180-degree-turn' to ensure a safe landing. Two other medical professionals assisted in stabilising the passenger before she was taken to a nearby hospital.
The diversion occurred eight hours into the 13-hour journey. Passengers were left stranded in Baku for hours while waiting for online visas to process. An A380 engineer was flown from London to perform routine maintenance checks originally scheduled for Singapore. The airline confirmed that the crew had reached their duty limits, necessitating an overnight stay for all passengers.
A Qantas spokesperson apologised for the disruption, stating: 'Safety is our number one priority and we are focused on getting our customers on their way as soon possible.' Passengers, mostly Australian, are expected to continue to Singapore later today before proceeding to Sydney.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent for The Independent, noted that the size of the A380, carrying nearly 500 passengers, increases the likelihood of medical incidents, and that diversions can cause significant disruption and expense.
