Emirates Flight Lands At JFK Airport With 'Dozens' Of Sick Passengers

Some passengers had fevers over 100 degrees and are being checked by experts.
Eric Gaillard / Reuters

Dozens of passengers aboard an Emirates flight from Dubai to New York are reportedly being checked by emergency crews after becoming seriously ill.

Emirates Flight 203 arrived at JFK around 8.50am local time (1pm GMT) on Wednesday, carrying passengers who were coughing and reportedly had fevers of over 100 degrees.

@emirates worst flight ever Dubai to NYC; plane was basically a flying infermary. Many of these people should never have been allowed to board. Now sitting on the ground after 14 hour flight unable to leave. @EmiratesSupport #emirates #worstairline

— Erin Sykes (@SykesStyle) September 5, 2018

Filling out #cdc passanger intake forms now. Still sick people on board commingled with not-sick (well, for now 🙄) @emirates #emirates #emirates203

— Erin Sykes (@SykesStyle) September 5, 2018

As the plane was arriving, the pilot raised concerns that many of his passengers appeared to be sick, reports said.

ABC News said the pilot had reported that two male passengers had very high fevers and that dozens were “coughing nonstop”.

The New York Post initially said about 100 passengers were affected and that they were expected to be checked by members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But Emirates said in a statement that about 10 passengers were taken ill on arrival and that, “as a precaution”, they were being attended to by the local health authority.

Statement: Emirates can confirm that about 10 passengers on #EK203 from Dubai to New York were taken ill. On arrival, as a precaution, they were attended to by local health authorities. All others will disembark shortly. The safety & care of our customers is our first priority.

— Emirates Airline (@emirates) September 5, 2018

BREAKING: An Emirates A380 in quarantine at JFK Airport right now awaiting CDC officials after about 100 passengers became ill with fevers over 100 degrees and coughing. Flight 203 had just arrived from Dubai. pic.twitter.com/lyUgNbMaEW

— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) September 5, 2018

Emirates flight crew being loaded into Ambulances at JFK Airport after about 100 become ill with temperatures over 100 degrees on flight from Dubai. Aircraft remains quarantined. pic.twitter.com/5zXrgGpBu3

— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) September 5, 2018

The BBC reported that food poisoning is suspected as a cause.

Erin Sykes, who was on the plane, wrote on Twitter that the trip was “basically a flying infirmary” and questioned why some of the passengers were allowed to board.

Larry Cohen, who identified himself as one of the passengers aboard the plane, uploaded photos on Twitter showing dozens of police and emergency vehicles waiting outside the plane on the tarmac.

“All we have been told is that there are some sick passengers and that we need to remain on board,” Cohen told Reuters via Twitter messaging.

All passengers being asked to fill out the Center for disease control and prevention form pic.twitter.com/6SidlKx090

— Larry Coben (@LarryCoben) September 5, 2018

CDC personnel on board. We will hopefully be deplaning shortly and having our temperatures taken.

— Larry Coben (@LarryCoben) September 5, 2018

The plane, thought to be an Airbus A380 containing at least 500 passengers, is said to have been quarantined.

The New York Police Department Counterterrorism Bureau said they were monitoring a “medical situation” at the airport.

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