An American Airlines fight bound for Los Angeles was forced to retu to London's Heathrow Airport Wednesday after at least six people on board fell ill.
The Daily Telegraph reported that one member of the Boeing 777's cabin crew fainted and five others complained of feeling unwell. With the aircraft, Flight 109, in the air over southwest Iceland, the captain made the decision to retu to Heathrow.
Paramedics and fire crews surrounded the plane as it landed approximately five hours after it had taken off. The Telegraph reported that the passengers' luggage was briefly taken away for inspection before being retued to them.
"About 2.5 hours into the flight just as we were passing Iceland we had a Taoy aouncement asking for any doctors, nurses or medical professionals on board to report to the boarding doors to assist with unwell passengers," passenger Lee Gu told The Daily Mirror. "The lights then came on in the cabin and there was lots of commotion."
"Eventually, when we did dock, there was only one person who came on and he was monitoring the air," passenger Alan Gray told The Daily Mail. "Then the paramedics were allowed onboard to treat those who were ill and everybody was let off."
The London Fire Brigade said that crews investigating the plane found no evidence of hazardous substances, while the London Ambulance Service said the six patients who complained of feeling unwell were examined, then discharged.
It remains unclear what caused the illnesses. American Airlines said the aircraft was being inspected by maintenance engineers.