The same day that a Brussels Airlines Airbus A330 had to divert to Tamanrasset, Algeria, for a medical emergency, another A330 of the company diverted to Tenerife South for exactly the same reason.
On 31 March, Brussels Airlines flight SN203 from Brussels to Dakar and Banjul, operated by Airbus A330-300 registered OO-SFG, took off from Brussels Airport at 12:35 (UTC+2). While flying over the Atlantic towards the Canary Islands, the pilots decided to divert to Tenerife South after declaring a medical emergency on board. When a woman became unwell, an Ostend medical doctor on the way to Banjul for a holiday, Arne De Bruycker, did not hesitate for a second. He administered primary care and he probably saved the life of the woman whom he diagnosed with a brain haemorrhage.
Four hours after departure from Brussels (at 15:35 UTC+1), the plane landed safely at the Canarian airport and the ill passenger was taken to a local hospital by an ambulance waiting for her.
One hour later (16:35 UTC+1), the aircraft took off from Tenerife South and continued its trip without further incidents. It landed at Dakar Blaise Diagne at 17:40 instead of 16:25 as scheduled, continuing to Banjul and returning to Brussels via Dakar as SN204, all with approximately one hour delay.
