Transatlantic flight diverted to Shannon after passenger dies

THE body of an elderly man who died while on board a transatlantic flight has been taken to University Hospital Limerick where a post mortem will be carried out.

The Delta Airlines flight between Amsterdam and the US State of Georgia was diverted to Shannon Airport shortly after midday this Monday after a medical emergency was declared on board.

It is understood crew members performed CPR on the passenger, who was aged late 80s, before the Airbus A330-300 landed at Shannon where it was met by emergency personnel who had been alerted.

However the man was pronounced dead on arrival in Shannon and the local coroner notified.

The flight has since been cancelled and the more than 250 passengers will spend the night in hotels in Limerick and Clare.