Passenger on flight from Spain to UK dies despite plane making emergency landing

The man, in his 70s, became unwell shortly after take-off and the aircraft crew requested the diversion to Santiago de Compostela airport in the north of the country

Javier Varela

Madrid

Monday, 17 February 2025, 09:26

There has been a tragedy on board a passenger aircraft flying from Spain to the UK. A man in his 70s died after suffering serious medical problems on the route from Tenerife South Airport to the East Midlands airport in England. The plane, which departed from the Canary Islands in the early afternoon of Friday 14 February, had to make an emergency landing in Santiago de Compostela in the north of Spain, where the victim's death was confirmed by the Galician 061 health emergency service - 061.

The Boeing 737-8MG flight had to be diverted from its route to land at Santiago-Rosalia de Castro Airport, also known as Lavacolla Airport, due to the passenger becoming unwell shortly after take-off. The crew of flight Jet2.com EXS61LM was responsible for communicating the passenger's health problem and that he needed urgent medical attention which was not available on board.

La tripulación del vuelo procedente de Tenerife Sur con destino UK nos comunica que llevan un pasajero con problemas médicos importantes a bordo y necesitan desviarse de urgencia a #Santiago. Les facilitamos descenso continuado y aproximación directa a pista 17 mientras se… pic.twitter.com/inhcNUI5MY
— 😉Controladores Aéreos 🇪🇸 (@controladores) February 14, 2025

The air traffic control services provided the flight with a «continued descent and a direct approach to runway 17», while medical assistance was coordinated with the Galician airport itself.

An ambulance from the Servizo de Urxencias Sanitarias de Galicia-061 was sent to the airport terminal in the Galician capital, but the medical staff could only certify the death of the passenger.

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