On May 25, a Corendon Airlines flight from Antalya to Moscow was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Vilnius following a medical emergency involving a passenger, reports @aviatorshina telegram channel.
The Boeing 737 MAX, operated by Turkish airline Corendon Airlines, was on charter flight CAI8955 from Antalya to Moscow. During the flight, while over Polish airspace, a male passenger went to the restroom where he became unwell and hit his head. Upon returning to the cabin, he lost consciousness and collapsed.
An eyewitness reported that a nurse on board assessed the man. She measured his blood pressure, which was critically high at 200, indicating a hypertensive crisis, and noted the absence of pupil reaction. Despite her efforts, the crew initially refused to let her administer aid because she lacked a doctor’s diploma.
The flight attendants found the onboard medical kit inadequate, lacking even basic items. They then searched the passenger’s carry-on luggage for medication. For approximately 40 minutes, the nurse pleaded with the flight attendants to make an unscheduled landing. Ultimately, the pilots decided to divert the flight to Vilnius.
Upon landing, the aircraft was met by an ambulance team that hospitalized the passenger. Aviation security personnel interviewed nearby passengers, and after a 1.5-hour delay, the flight continued to Sheremetyevo.