Lufthansa Boeing 747 diverts to Shannon after medical emergency on Frankfurt–Miami flight

A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Miami was forced to divert to Shannon Airport on Wednesday morning after a passenger suffered a serious medical incident mid-flight.

Flight LH462, operated by a Boeing 747-8 registered D-ABYI with 389 passengers and crew on board, was around 90 minutes into its transatlantic journey when the crew declared a medical emergency off Ireland’s south coast. The airline confirmed that a passenger had fallen ill, reportedly experiencing a cardiac episode, and that a medical professional on board was providing care.

The crew was cleared to divert to Shannon, where the aircraft carried out a fuel jettison over the Atlantic to reduce landing weight, a standard safety procedure for long-haul aircraft. After completing the operation, the aircraft approached Shannon from the west and landed safely at 12:27 local time.

Shannon Airport’s fire and rescue services were placed on standby, and the National Ambulance Service was mobilised ahead of the arrival. Fire crews escorted the aircraft along the runway, remaining with it until it reached its stand, where paramedics were waiting.

The passenger was transferred to University Hospital Limerick for treatment. Following the diversion, the flight resumed its journey to Miami at 14:25 and is scheduled to arrive at Miami Airport with a 2-hour delay.

The incident marked Shannon Airport’s first diversion of the new year. In 2025, the airport handled around 90 unscheduled arrivals, including 24 related to medical emergencies.