A TUI flight from the UK to Majorca was forced into a diversion after a medical issue onboard prompted to crew to declare and emergency.
The flight departed Nottingham’s East Midlands Aiport at around 6.15 am on Saturday, but did not smoothly make it to its intended destination of Palma de Mallorca.
The plane made it to an altitude of 37,000ft over the French coast before the crew declared a medical emergency due to passenger illness.
This prompted its diversion ot London Gatwick Aiport where it landed roughly an hour after takeoff. Medical teams were on hand to safely get the passenger off the plane.
After about an hour at Gatwick the flight took off again and was due to land in Majorca at 11:42 am local time (10:42 am UK time).
A TUI spokesperson told The Mirror: “Unfortunately flight TOM7692 was diverted to London Gatwick this morning after a passenger became ill. The passenger in question was quickly seen to by medical professionals on the ground.
“The flight was able to depart again to Palma shortly after. As always, the safety of our passengers and crew is of our upmost priority.”
Flight tracking website Flight Radar revealed that the plane, a Boeing 737 MAX, made it through France and the Mediterranean before landing in Majorca.
Majorca is a holiday destination beloved by Brits, its second largest tourist population after Germans, with over 2 million visiting the island in 2022.
However, recent protests may be changing this. Over the Bank Holiday weekend, 15,000 Majorcans took to the streets of Palma to call for more affordable housing and fewer holiday homes as the island continues to suffer from an overtourism problem.
A travel expert warned that this may push tourists to Malta and Cyprus. Laura Evans-Fisk, head of digital engagement at eurochange, told Express.co.uk: “It’s likely we’ll see tourists opting for alternative destinations such as Malta, which offers a similar vibe to Palma, with people-watching squares, relaxed bars and easy access to great beaches.
Places like Cyprus are also likely to draw regular visitors to Majorca who might be looking for an alternative. It has a very similar climate and offers similar prices, with lots of package hotel options and resorts which are well connected from the UK.”
