An EVA Air flight, BR67, from Bangkok, Thailand to London, England’s Heathrow Airport was forced to make an emergency landing this past Friday, March 15, 2024.
This drastic measure was taken after a male passenger was discovered in the middle of a suicide attempt within the confines of the aircraft’s lavatory, leading to an urgent response from the flight’s crew and onboard medical personnel.
As the Boeing 777 descended towards Heathrow Airport, requiring all passengers to vacate the lavatories and secure themselves in their seats, the flight crew conducted a check on a bathroom occupant and encountered a distressing scene. They found the man in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, leading to swift medical intervention by the flight attendants and an off-duty paramedic, Gareth Lines, 36, from Portsmouth, present on the flight. The man, whose identity has not been released, was stabilized by CPR and quickly taken to a hospital following the plane’s landing.
FlightAware, a flight tracking application, reports that the aircraft touched down at London’s Heathrow Airport at 7:03 p.m. local time, arriving 17 minutes earlier than planned.
In a statement from EVA Air, the airline reported: “As flight BR67 from Bangkok to London Heathrow was descending on March 15th, a passenger was found in a state suggesting a suicide attempt in one of the lavatories. Thanks to the prompt action of our cabin crew and the help of a passenger with medical training, immediate first aid was administered to the individual in question. Upon landing in London, medical staff took the passenger for further medical care, and the incident has been referred to the police for additional investigation.”
EVA Air, recognized as one of Taiwan’s leading air carriers, confirmed the occurrence, marking a sobering moment for the airline and its passengers. The airline’s swift action in this crisis reflects a commitment to passenger safety and well-being, a priority shared across the aviation industry.
Eyewitness accounts from the flight detail the tense moments leading up to the emergency landing. One passenger recounted the anxiety that filled the cabin as crew members hurriedly responded, highlighting the impact such incidents have on everyone onboard. The collective relief was palpable when the plane safely touched down, allowing the distressed passenger to receive medical attention.
Lines, the paramedic who helped save the passenger’s life, later said that the aircraft was equipped with essential items, such as an automated defibrillator, and he requested the crew to provide him with oxygen.
He stated, “Lacking medication, there wasn’t much else we could do. The individual experienced a cardiac arrest for half an hour, and then, 15 minutes following the arrival of the London ambulance team.”
He was transported to a medical facility where his heart started to beat once more.