China Eastern Airlines Flight Discharged 45 Tons of Fuel to Save a Passenger's Life
Jul. 17, 2019
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A passenger suddenly fell ill with symptoms of coughing blood and quickening heartbeat on China Eastern Airlines flight MU587 from Shanghai Pudong Airport to New York on July 16. The airline crew found three Chinese and foreign doctors on board who checked the conditions of the patient.
Then the captain, based on the patient's state of illness, decided to discharge 45 tons of fuel and diverted to the nearby Tokyo Narita Airport, where the patient was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The flight safely landed at Narita Airport at 18:19 pm Beijing Time, and the conditions of the patient stabilized after being transferred to the hospital. The flight continued on after refueling.
The MU587 flight took off from Shanghai Pudong Airport at 11:42 am Beijing Time and was flying over the Sea of Okhotsk to the east of the Russian island of Sakhalin at 16:16 pm when a 63-year-old man rang the bell for help as he felt uncomfortable.
A flight attendant came and found the man coughing blood amid quickening heartbeat. The flight attendant immediately notified the cabin manager, initiated emergency rescue measures on board and offered oxygen mask to the passenger. The cabin manager looked for medical help through public announcement and one Chinese doctor and two American doctors voluntarily offered their help.
In order for the patient to have a better treatment environment, the flight attendants, withe the consent of doctors, moved the patient to the business class where he could lie down. Doctors used first-aid kit on board to take blood pressure and treat the patient.
As the patient's physical conditions were unstable, the crew, putting passengers' safety at first, decided to divert to the nearby Narita Airport where sophisticated medical facilities were available.
To ensure a safe landing, the crew followed relevant procedures and discharged 45 tons of fuel in the air and notified Narita Airport to make good preparations.
The ground service staff of China Eastern Airlines at Narita Airport, upon receiving the diversion notice, immediately requested the emergency rescue and relevant departments of local airport to be ready.
After the flight safely landed at Narita at 18:19 pm Beijing Time, the ground service staff inquired the crew and doctors on board about the patient's conditions, translated the same to the first-aid personnel of the airport and assisted with the rescue.
The ground service staff moved the patient to an ambulance through wheelchair and lifting platform vehicle. Then the patient was accompanied by two ground service staff of China Eastern Airlines and sent to a local hospital for treatment, where his conditions stabilized.
The diverted flight took off from Narita at 19:55 pm Beijing Time after refueling and continued on its journey. The crew thanked the three doctors for their help and other passengers on board for their understanding.
Contributed by China Eastern Airlines