A Jet2 flight carrying British holidaymakers from Tenerife to Birmingham was forced to make an emergency landing in Portugal after the pilot suffered a suspected heart attack mid-air. The incident occurred at 30,000 feet, prompting the aircraft to divert to Porto at 2:11 am on Friday.
Passengers Describe Chaos Onboard
Witnesses reported that stewardesses ran down the aisle in tears, urgently asking if there was a doctor on board. A passenger told The Sun on Sunday: '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.'
Emergency Response and Passenger Ordeal
Emergency services rushed onto the plane upon landing at Porto's Francisco Sa Carneiro airport, where 220 passengers watched as medics attended to the stricken pilot. The tourists were stranded at the airport for 13 hours before being flown home on a different flight with a new cockpit crew. Jet2 flew a pilot from Manchester to assist in returning passengers to the UK.
A passenger described the ordeal: 'We were stranded in Portugal for over 13 hours without accommodation. They wouldn't let us off the plane itself for over an hour. Then we were just left to wander around. There was nowhere to stay. They said accommodation was too expensive.'
Airline Statement
Jet2 issued a statement: '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.'
The airline has not provided further details on the pilot's condition, but passengers expressed sympathy, with one saying: 'The airline told us the pilot had suffered a heart attack in the cockpit. We have full sympathy for him of course.'
