A passenger on a Kenya Airways flight traveling from Nairobi to London fell ill on Monday, leading the pilot to declare a medical emergency. According to a statement issued by the national carrier for KQ100 flight operating between Kenya and England, the emergency call was made, and the flight crew, along with medical professionals on board, provided assistance to the unwell passenger.
The airline explained that the crew, assisted by two doctors and a nurse, offered medical aid to the passenger while the captain informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the medical emergency. This allowed the flight to receive priority clearance for landing so that the passenger could receive further medical attention.
Kenya Airways also mentioned that upon request, the aircraft landed safely, and paramedics who were on standby promptly transported the passenger to a hospital for additional medical care.
The airline emphasized, “Our top priority is the safety of our crew and customers.”
Kenya Airways has been particularly vigilant about handling medical emergencies on its flights, particularly after two passengers passed away within two weeks on separate flights from Nairobi to New York in 2022.
In the initial incident, a Kenya Airways flight had to make an emergency landing in Casablanca, Morocco, due to a sick passenger. Medics at Casablanca Airport attempted to assist the passenger, but it was determined that the passenger had passed away.
Two weeks later, on another Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi to New York, a passenger was declared deceased after being discovered unresponsive upon landing.