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.
Stay tuned to Aviation Today for the latest aviation news.
![Washington, United States: A United Airlines flight bound for Guatemala City made an emergency diversion to Washington Dulles International Airport after a passenger allegedly attempted to open a cabin door at cruising altitude and assaulted another traveler, according to air traffic control communications and federal authorities. The incident involved United Airlines Flight 1551, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8, which departed from Newark Liberty International Airport on Thursday evening carrying 145 passengers and six crew members. The aircraft had been en route to Guatemala City when the crew declared an emergency and diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. According to audio between the flight crew and air traffic controllers, the pilot informed controllers that the disruptive passenger attempted to open Door 2L while the aircraft was cruising at approximately 36,000 feet. The pilot also reported that the passenger later assaulted another individual onboard. During the exchange, the tower asked the crew which door the passenger had attempted to access. The pilot responded: “Door 2L at 36,000 feet and then [the passenger] assaulted a fellow passenger.” When controllers asked whether there were any injuries onboard, the pilot replied: “Not to our knowledge.” The aircraft landed safely at Washington Dulles at approximately 8:38 p.m. local time. Law enforcement and emergency personnel met the aircraft upon arrival. The FBI later confirmed that agents responded to the incident at the airport, although the agency did not immediately release additional details regarding the passenger’s identity, possible charges, or whether the individual was taken into federal custody. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft remained airborne for a period before diverting toward the Washington region instead of continuing south toward Guatemala. The diversion temporarily disrupted the scheduled international service but no injuries among passengers or crew were officially reported. United Airlines had not issued a detailed public statement at the time of publication regarding the circumstances surrounding the diversion or the status of the passenger involved. Federal authorities are expected to review crew reports, passenger statements, and onboard evidence as part of the investigation.](https://aviationtoday.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AVIATION-TODAY-UNITEDV-AIRLINES-RUDE-PASSENGER-768x432.jpg)
