A transatlantic Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an emergency landing Monday after a serious medical emergency unfolded midair, prompting pilots to declare a general distress while cruising thousands of feet above the Atlantic.
Delta Air Lines Flight 234 departed John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City just before 4:00 p.m. local time on Monday, Feb. 2, according to FlightAware. The Airbus A330-900 was scheduled to fly nonstop to Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv, Israel — a journey of roughly 10 hours.
About four hours into the flight, while traveling at approximately 36,000 feet, the crew transmitted a squawk 7700, an international distress signal used to alert air traffic control to a general emergency, aviation outlet AirLive reported.
A squawk 7700 can indicate a range of urgent situations, including mechanical problems, technical malfunctions, or medical emergencies. Once the code is transmitted, air traffic control typically clears runways and deploys emergency services in preparation for an unscheduled landing.
In this case, AirLive reported the pilots cited a serious medical emergency involving one of the people onboard. While flying between Ireland and the United Kingdom, the aircraft turned around over the Irish Sea and diverted to Dublin Airport.
The situation was further complicated by the aircraft’s weight. Because the flight was still early in its journey, it was carrying a significant amount of fuel and exceeded its maximum structural landing weight. In such scenarios, aircraft sometimes circle to burn fuel or dump fuel before landing, but Delta Flight 234 proceeded with an overweight landing — a maneuver that can place added stress on landing gear and parts of the aircraft’s structure.
A Delta spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that the plane “landed safely in Dublin following an onboard medical situation.” Medical personnel met the aircraft upon arrival to assist.
The airline also confirmed that the flight later continued on to Israel. While AirLive initially reported that 174 people were onboard at the time of the emergency, Delta clarified that 158 customers were traveling on the flight. Passengers ultimately arrived in Tel Aviv at 12:10 p.m. local time — roughly three hours later than originally scheduled.