Ryanair flight to Manchester Airport forced to make emergency landing after passenger suddenly dies

A Ryanair flight to Manchester Airport was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger suddenly died.

The plane had left from Malaga, Spain on Sunday (January 7) and was flying at 38,000 feet when the male passenger became ill. It was diverted to Bordeaux in France, with CPR efforts made on board in an attempt to revive the passenger, continuing after the plane had landed.

A Ryanair spokesperson told the Evening Standard: "Cabin crew called ahead for medical assistance and the aircraft was met by paramedics upon arrival." However, despite hard work from medical professionals, the passenger sadly passed away.

Ryanair is not required to refund customers under emergency medical diversions, but told the Manchester Evening News that passengers were offered overnight accommodation and a way to claim back expenses as transport to the hotel was limited.

They said: "Passengers were offered overnight accommodation, and despite Ryanair’s efforts to arrange transport to the hotel, availability of transport was limited, and passengers were advised that they could also arrange individual transport to the hotel and that they could claim back expenses on Ryanair.com. The following morning, airport staff were present to check-in all passengers free of charge and issue boarding passes before this flight departed for Manchester at 10:02 local."

Passengers were left distraught, describing scenes that left children "distressed" with one telling Manchester Evening News that a woman had "fainted due to the stress of the situation."

The passenger said: “We had to do an emergency landing in Bordeaux and a passenger next to us performed CPR the whole time that we were landing, but he unfortunately didn’t make it.

"People became stressed and needed water and air but there was not enough water for everyone. A woman then fainted due to the stress of the situation. There were also many distressed children on board who were very confused and upset. The pilot then announced we will not be continuing the flight and will have to stay overnight in Bordeaux."