Picture credits: FRMSc
Athens, Greece: An EasyJet flight from Hurghada, Egypt, to Manchester, UK, was forced to make an emergency landing in Athens after the captain became incapacitated mid-flight on Saturday.
Approximately two hours into the journey, cabin crew members abandoned their service duties to attend to the captain, who had collapsed. They called for medical assistance from passengers on board.
The co-pilot assumed control of the aircraft and diverted to Athens International Airport. The plane landed safely on runway 03L, where emergency services were waiting.
Passengers reported initial confusion, thinking a fellow traveler was unwell, until it was announced that the captain required medical attention. The situation led to heightened anxiety among those on board.
Upon landing, the captain received medical assistance. EasyJet arranged hotel accommodations for passengers due to the delay caused by the diversion.
“At first we thought this may have been a passenger as nothing much was being said other than the screams asking if anyone is medically trained” recounted one anonymous passenger to the Manchester Evening News.
In a statement to Metro, a spokesperson for EasyJet confirmed the incident: “easyJet can confirm that flight EZY2252 from Hurghada to Manchester yesterday evening was diverted to Athens due to the Captain requiring medical assistance. The First Officer performed landing, and the aircraft was met by paramedics on arrival in Athens. As a result, the onward flight was delayed overnight, and passengers will continue their journey to Manchester today.”
The airline apologized for the inconvenience and confirmed that passengers would continue their journey to Manchester the following day.
No further details about the captain’s condition have been released.
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