Plane diverted as 12 passengers fall sick from foul odour
PA
A US Airways plane flying from Charlotte to Rome, America, had to make an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport because at 12 passengers and crew became sick from an odour on board.
Five people were taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania suffering with nausea, but no serious injuries were reported, according to Fox News.
Airport spokeswoman Victoria Lupica told the Washington Post that US Airways flight 720 had taken off from Charlotte, North Carolina, bound for Rome, at 7.30pm..
She added that airport police, fire and emergency crews responded to the situation, but that initial examinations did not reveal any evidence of fumes or other causes for the foul smell.
According to the Daily Mail, US Airways spokesman Todd Lehmacher said the pilot decided to divert the aircraft "out of an abundance of caution" and the plane landed at around 10.20pm.
According to CBS Local, the flight departed from Philadelphia for Rome with a new crew at 2 am on Wednesday morning.
US Airways spokesman Bill Mcglashen told the paper: "During the early phase of the flight, two flight attendants informed our captain, as procedure, of a cabin odor. And the crew also reported that they were feeling ill."
Authorities are looking into the cause of the odour.
Related articles
US Airways flight delayed as plane wheels sink into runway tarmac
US Airways passenger comment prompts cabin crew drugs tests
Sign up to our weekly newsletterFollow us on TwitterBecome a fan on Facebook