Biohazard situation: Crew and passengers vomit mid-flight: Third mysterious illness incident in two months

A United Airlines flight from Houston to Boston was forced to make an emergency landing in Washington DC after a “biohazard” sickened both the crew and passengers. The incident occurred Sunday morning when a passenger became ill, causing a strong odor that caused crew members to vomit and prompted passengers to wear masks. The flight, identification number 2477, departed Houston at approximately 9:30 a.m. but was diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport at 1:30 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the crew declared a “medical emergency” due to the biohazard.

Audio recordings of the flight show the extent of the problem. One crew member said: “I’ve spoken to the crew and it sounds like it’s pretty bad back there. The crew is vomiting and passengers everywhere are asking for masks.” Another crew member added: “Because it’s a biohazard, I think we need to get the plane on the ground as soon as possible.”

After landing, the plane’s 155 passengers and six crew members did not require medical attention. United Airlines said: “The aircraft is currently undergoing a thorough cleaning and we are working to send customers on their way to Boston soon.”

This incident is reminiscent of other in-flight medical emergencies. Last month, a similar situation occurred on a United Airlines flight from Vancouver to Houston, when 30 passengers developed flu-like symptoms. In June, 70 passengers on Condor flight DE2315 from Mauritius to Frankfurt became ill with nausea and vomiting, prompting emergency services to be called upon landing.

These incidents underscore the importance of rapid response and thorough cleaning protocols to ensure passenger safety. United Airlines confirmed that thorough deep cleaning processes are in place to effectively manage such emergencies.

United Airlines and other airlines continue to closely monitor such situations to ensure safety measures are up to date and can prevent similar incidents in the future. Passengers are advised to immediately report any unusual symptoms to crew so that a prompt response can be provided.

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