Qantas Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Baku After Mid-Air Medical Crisis
Passenger Suffers Cardiac Episode Forcing Dramatic Diversion
A Qantas Airbus A380 en route from London to Sydney was compelled to make an unscheduled landing in Baku, Azerbaijan, early Sunday after a passenger experienced a severe medical emergency, disrupting travel for over 400 people.
Life-Threatening Incident Aboard QF2
The ailing passenger, a woman in her 60s, suffered a life-threatening cardiac episode while the aircraft was in flight, according to reports. Fortunately, three medical professionals were onboard and immediately began providing assistance.
“The lady was really quite unwell and needed intravenous access while we were trying to land, which was a bit challenging,”
—Hamish Urquhart, Australian Doctor
Urquhart described how the pilot executed a significant course correction—a “dramatic 180-degree-turn”—to reach Heydar Aliyev International Airport. This airport is one of the few in the region equipped to handle the massive A380 aircraft.
Diversion and Passenger Support
The flight, QF2, departed London’s Heathrow Airport at 8:51 PM on June 8th (3:51 AM Singapore time on June 9th) and touched down in Baku at 7:55 AM local time. Qantas is providing overnight accommodations for the more than 400 passengers affected by the unexpected stop.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), medical emergencies account for approximately 0.7% of all unscheduled aircraft landings globally, highlighting the potential for such diversions. IATA Medical Emergency Statistics
Crew Limitations and Resumption of Flight
A Qantas spokesperson explained that the flight crew had reached their maximum allowable duty hours following the diversion. Consequently, the journey to Singapore will not resume until June 10th. The airline has apologized for the inconvenience caused to its customers.
“Our QF2 London to Singapore service diverted to Baku in Azerbaijan earlier today due to a medical incident on board. We apologise to customers for the disruption and are working to get them on their way to Singapore as soon as possible.”
—Qantas Spokesperson, Qantas
Azerbaijan is strategically located between Russia and Iran, making Baku a potential transit point for long-haul flights. The passenger was transferred to a local hospital for further treatment following the landing.
Qantas is working to minimize delays and ensure passengers reach their final destination as quickly as possible. Updates will be provided as they become available.
