In a dramatic turn of events, a Jet2 flight from Spain to the United Kingdom was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Portugal after one of its pilots fell seriously unwell during the journey. The incident occurred on flight LS1266, which had departed from Tenerife en route to Birmingham, but was diverted to Porto’s Francisco Sa Carneiro airport in the early hours of Friday morning.
Emergency Landing and Medical Response
According to flight tracking data from FlightAware, the Airbus A321 diverted approximately three hours into what was scheduled to be a four-hour flight. The aircraft touched down in Porto at 2:11 am local time, where emergency services were immediately dispatched to the runway. Medics boarded the plane, which carried up to 220 passengers, to provide urgent treatment to the unwell pilot before he was transported to a nearby hospital.
Passenger Accounts of Chaos
One passenger, speaking to The Sun, described being stranded in Portugal for over 13 hours without any accommodation after being held on the aircraft for an hour. Another passenger recounted the distressing experience, stating: “My partner and I were asleep when we were awoken by chaos. Lights began flashing, and hostesses who were visibly upset, seeking a doctor. Our two-year-old began crying like many other children onboard because the aircraft was dropping so quickly for an emergency landing.”
Following the medical emergency, Jet2 arranged for a replacement pilot to fly from Manchester to Porto, allowing passengers to eventually continue their onward journey to Birmingham.
Jet2 Statement on the Incident
A spokesperson for Jet2 commented on the diversion, saying: “Flight LS1266 from Tenerife to Birmingham diverted to Porto on Thursday (21st May), due to one of the pilots feeling unwell. At no point was safety compromised, and customers subsequently continued their journey. We would like to apologise to customers for this unforeseen delay.”
Similar Incidents in Recent Months
This diversion is not an isolated event in the aviation industry. Earlier this month, a Swiss flight from Seoul to Zürich made an emergency landing in Kazakhstan after the co-pilot experienced a medical emergency. Swiss flight LX124 took off from Seoul just before 10 am local time on 6 May for a 12-and-a-half-hour journey to Zürich. While flying over Kazakhstan, just over six hours into the flight, the Airbus A350 sharply turned south over the Karaganda region and diverted to Almaty, the country’s largest city. Swiss confirmed that the unscheduled landing was due to a “medical emergency involving the co-pilot.”
These incidents highlight the critical importance of crew health and the robust protocols in place to ensure passenger safety during medical emergencies at altitude.
