madrid brazil flight emergency diversion canary islands

Mid-air medical emergency: plane diverted to Canary Islands

Dramatic mid-air medical emergency over the Canary Islands

Passengers aboard a flight travelling between Madrid and Brazil experienced moments of high tension when the aircraft was forced to make an emergency diversion as it passed over the Canary archipelago. The crew requested an unscheduled landing to urgently assist a passenger who was displaying symptoms consistent with possible pancreatitis.

First attempt: wind shear disrupts approach at Tenerife South

Upon receiving the alert, air traffic controllers cleared the aircraft for a continuous descent and a direct approach to runway 07 at Tenerife South Airport, simultaneously coordinating medical assistance on the ground. However, treacherous weather conditions in the south of Tenerife soon threw the emergency plan into disarray. Just as the aircraft established its approach, it encountered a phenomenon known as wind shear – a sudden and dangerous change in wind direction or speed. This forced the pilots to perform a go-around, aborting the landing.

Second attempt abandoned amid severe turbulence

When the crew tried a second time to bring the aircraft in to land, they were once again met with the same severe turbulence. With safety paramount, they made the decision to call off the landing at Tenerife South for a second time.

Final diversion to Gran Canaria Airport

Unable to touch down on Tenerife and with the medical emergency ongoing, controllers immediately repositioned the flight to divert to Gran Canaria Airport. The aircraft was granted clearance for a direct approach and absolute priority to runway 03L, where it landed without incident. Upon arrival, medical assistance teams were already deployed at the foot of the runway, ready to evacuate the affected passenger. Air traffic control teams have since thanked the other flights whose schedules were impacted by the priority manoeuvres carried out during the emergency.

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