United Airlines flight diverted due to biohazard incident

A United Airlines flight from Houston to Boston was urgently diverted to Washington Dulles Airport on July 28 due to a biohazard that caused crew members to vomit and passengers to be asked to remove masks.

United Airlines flight UA2477, a Boeing 737-800, took off from Houston at 09:39 local time. Shortly thereafter, a passenger became seriously ill, resulting in a severe biohazard exposure. Conditions on board deteriorated rapidly, with both crew members and passengers becoming ill. An onboard doctor assessed the situation and urged an immediate landing.

The airline confirmed the diversion and said the plane underwent a thorough deep cleaning at Washington-Dulles before continuing on to Boston at 5:17 p.m. local time. None of the 155 passengers or 6 crew members required medical attention upon arrival.

This incident follows a similar event in September 2023, when a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Barcelona was canceled due to a passenger suffering from severe diarrhea, requiring extensive cleanup and an eight-hour delay.