Flight Attendant Falls Ill Aboard Flight Diverted To KBWI - Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Baltimore, Maryland

 

A flight attendant becomes ill aboard a Southwest Airlines flight that landed at BWI Thursday afternoon.

In photos: Flight attendant falls ill aboard flight to BWI

LINTHICUM, Md. - A flight attendant became ill Thursday aboard a plane, prompting an investigation by hazardous materials crews in Maryland. 

Southwest Flight 709 took off from Norfolk, Va., shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday and landed at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport shortly before 4:30 p.m. without incident. The plane was bound for BWI, and then Chicago, and it was not diverted as initially reported.

Anne Arundel County and BWI hazmat and fire crews boarded the aircraft to sample the air, trying to determine whether anything unusual was in the air. There's no conclusive information as of 6:30 p.m., BWI spokesman Jack Cahalan said.

Authorities have yet to determine a cause for the flight attendant's illness, or the identity of the possible substance aboard the plane. The flight attendant was taken to Baltimore Washington Medical Center for treatment.

As a precaution, crews also checked the pilot to determine whether he had any health issues. The passengers deplaned safely, and there were no illnesses reported among them, Cahalan said.

The passengers were moved to another gate to continue on their flight to Chicago on another aircraft.

There were 139 people aboard the plane, including the crew. 

Article and photos:  http://www.wbaltv.com