Man dies on flight diverted to Shannon Airport

An elderly man has died on board a transatlantic flight that diverted to Shannon Airport this afternoon.

Delta Air Lines flight DL-71 was en route from Amsterdam to Georgia in the US when the crew declared a medical emergency. There were 260 passengers and crew on board.

The crew requested clearance to divert to Shannon and asked that a cardiac ambulance be standing by for their arrival. The crew reported that they had an 88-year-old man on board who was unresponsive.

Cabin crew members performed CPR on the man for over an hour as the flight diverted to Shannon. The Airbus A330-300 jet landed safely shortly after midday and was met by airport fire crews.

National Ambulance Service paramedics were also waiting for the flight when it reached the terminal however the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The county coroner was informed of the death before the man’s body was removed to University Hospital Limerick for a postmortem examination.

The flight has since been cancelled and passengers taken to hotels in the Clare and Limerick area for the night.

A coroner’s inquest is expected to he held at a later date.