A flight traveling from a popular holiday destination to the UK had to change its course to Portugal following a suspected heart attack experienced by the pilot while in mid-air.
Jet2 Flight LS1266 departed Tenerife headed for Birmingham at an altitude of 30,000 feet when the incident transpired during the early hours of Friday, May 22. The aircraft, carrying 220 passengers, had to make an unplanned landing at Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport near Porto, Portugal.
According to passengers, the cabin crew hurried down the aisle, inquiring if anyone had medical expertise. They recounted the flickering lights as the plane swiftly descended, causing distress among children onboard.
“We were abruptly awakened by commotion as lights flashed, and distressed flight attendants sought a doctor. Our two-year-old, like many others, cried due to the rapid emergency descent,” a passenger told The Sun.
The plane touched down in Porto at 2:11 am local time, and emergency services promptly boarded to assist. Medical personnel attended to the pilot in the cockpit before transferring him to the hospital.
Passengers remained onboard for over an hour before deplaning, spending approximately 13 hours in the terminal as the airline arranged for replacement crew. A pilot was flown in from Manchester to transport the travelers to Birmingham on a different aircraft.
“We were stranded in Portugal for over 13 hours without accommodation… There was nowhere to stay. They said accommodation was too expensive,” a passenger revealed.
Jet2 clarified that the incident arose from one of the pilots falling ill.
“Flight LS1266 from Tenerife to Birmingham diverted to Porto on Thursday (21st May), due to one of the pilots feeling unwell,” Jet2 informed The Sun.
“Customer safety was maintained throughout, and passengers subsequently resumed their journey. We apologize to customers for this unexpected delay,” Jet2 added.
