Natalia Penza
A holiday jet heading from Dublin to Tenerife had to divert to Spain’s north-west Galicia region because of a medical emergency on Tuesday.
Ryanair flight FR5555 left the Irish capital nine minutes early at 5.36am but had to divert to Santiago-Rosalia de Castro Airport before reaching its intended destination.
The decision was taken by crew after a “medical emergency” occurred on board affecting one of the passengers who is said to have needed hospitalisation.
Spanish air traffic controllers confirmed the incident around midday on Tuesday, flagging up the route the Boeing 737 had taken and saying: ”Medical emergency on board and diversion to Santiago airport.”
Flight trackers showed the plane landed at 9.20am local time before continuing its journey to Tenerife South, reaching the island at 11.27am.
The exact nature of the emergency and the nationality of the passenger is not yet known. No further medical updates have yet been provided.
The airport the plane was diverted to is around eight miles north of the cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela in the town of Lavacolla.
It is the largest and busiest airport in Galicia and the second-busiest in northern Spain.
Heart problems and brawls
At the start of last month a medical emergency occured on a holiday jet from the UK to the Canary Islands.
Spanish officials intervened to shorten the route of the Ryanair plane as it approached Tenerife when the alarm was raised onboard because of a passenger “with serious heart problems".
The health scare occurred on Ryanair flight FR240 connecting Leeds Bradford Airport to Tenerife South, which ended up landing nearly half an hour early on 3 September.
In July an easyJet flight bound for Liverpool had to turn back to Tenerife South Airport after a mass fight on board.
Spanish air traffic controllers said at the time around 10 passengers had been involved in the fracas on board the plane heading for Liverpool.
The Guardia Civil went on to confirm eight people had been removed from the plane who had been travelling together, two adults and six minors, but no arrests had been made.
A spokesman for the force said at the time: “Eight people were removed from the plane who had been travelling together, two adults and six minors.
“What appears to have happened is that a heated discussion started in the airport terminal between two families before they boarded the plane and those problems obviously continued on the plane which is why it turned back.
“We’re not aware of any physical fighting on board.
“No arrests took place but all eight people taken off the plane have been identified. All eight are British nationals.”