Imagine being on a flight when suddenly, a mysterious illness strikes several crew members and passengers. That’s exactly what happened on Friday, April 7th, when Delta Air Lines flight DL537 was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Oklahoma.
Diversion to Oklahoma City
The flight, which originated at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and was bound for Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), was well underway when three flight attendants started to experience difficulty breathing. One of the flight attendants even had to use an oxygen mask. In addition to the crew members, nine passengers reported feeling dizzy. As a result, the pilots decided to divert “out of an abundance of caution due to an onboard medical issue,” according to a statement from Delta Air Lines.
Passenger Emmy Kelly shared her experience with Fox News: “They told us they were having trouble breathing and that there was something about them being nauseous in heat, they didn’t give us a ton of information.” The flight, which was packed to capacity with 197 passengers for the Easter weekend, touched down at Oklahoma City Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) at 17:52 local time. Upon arrival, the flight was met by an ambulance, and the affected individuals were transported to a nearby hospital. Their current condition remains unknown.
Stranded Passengers and Flight Resumption
With several crew members out of commission and sent to the hospital, passengers were deplaned and had to spend the night in Oklahoma City. Delta provided accommodations for the stranded passengers while maintenance crews cleared the flight for departure. The aircraft, a 32-year-old Boeing 757-200, registration N667DN, eventually resumed its journey on Good Friday, April 7th. It departed from OKC at 12:11 and arrived at ATL at 14:48, as reported by Flightradar24.
Delta has yet to release further information about the cause of the mysterious illness. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that it will be investigating the situation. The aircraft, which joined the Delta Air Lines fleet in March 1991, is scheduled to return to normal operations on Saturday, April 8th, taking off as DL350 to Boston.
This unusual incident serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing safety in aviation. While the cause of the illness remains unknown, the swift actions taken by the pilots and Delta Air Lines helped to ensure the well-being of all those on board.
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