Epsom family caught up in midair fainting drama (From Sutton Guardian)

Epsom family caught up in midair fainting drama

1:30pm Monday 9th November 2009

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An Epsom family was caught up in a mysterious fainting drama on board an international flight.

Firecrew dressed in full bio hazard suits boarded the British Airways flight from Newark, New Jersey after six people passed out onboard.

The passengers were ordered to stay in their seats for three hours after the plane touched down at about 6.50am on Saturday.

The aircraft was ordered to a remote part of the runway at Heathrow while emergency procedures were carried out.

As the Boeing 777 aircraft was surrounded by fire engines and ambulances Stoneleigh teenager Sheniz Onen, returning with her family from a trip to New York, took these pictures.

Sheniz, her mother Gill and sister Shenel, 23, had come back from a week in New York, a birthday present to Sheniz who is about to celebrate her 18th birthday.

Mrs Onen, who runs the Rumbling Tums cafe in Wallington, said: ”It was quite scary seeing the plane surrounded by fire engines and ambulances. I think there were enough there to take us all to hospital.It was like a scene out of casualty.”

Sheniz, an A level student at Rosebery School, Epsom, said: “It was quite weird seeing them come on the aircraft like that.

“It was also quite annoying - we had to sit there for three hours. Some people got quite angry.”

The flight crew had radioed ahead to warn that six people had fainted on the flight and they feared that they could have inhaled some chemical or been struck down with a mystery bug.

After firecrew carried out chemical tests and the all-clear was given, paramedics were allowed aboard and treated the passengers, who reported feeling "light-headed" and "faint" during the flight.

They were taken to a health centre in the grounds of the airport and checked out. None required hospital treatment.

All 216 passengers, who were kept on board while firefighters checked the plane, were later allowed to disembark.

The plane was put back in service later that day after being checked over.

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