Aeroflot medical emergency denied landing in USA lands YYZ

[robbreid]

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AFL3 ... /MUHA/UUEE

Incident: Aeroflot A332 over Atlantic on Oct 8th 2009, medical emergency refused by USA

An Aeroflot Airbus A330-200, registration VQ-BBF performing flight SU-334 (dep Oct 7th) from Havana (Cuba) to Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia), was enroute overhead the Atlantic at FL350 about 320nm southeast of New York, when the crew talking very good English reported a passenger (German citizen) had become sick and requested to divert to New York's JFK Airport, but changed their diversion destination to Toronto,ON (Canada) just before reaching the top of descent into JFK about 120nm southeast of JFK. The airplane landed safely on Toronto's runway 24R about 2.5 hours after the first decision to divert and about 4.5 hours after departure. The passenger was taken to a local hospital.

Passengers reported, that the German became pale about 30 minutes into the flight initially raising suspicions of being sea sick, but then began to vomit blood about 2 hours into the flight. Two doctors on board provided first aid. The crew decided to divert to New York, but later announced, that their flight wasn't accepted into the United States and they'd need to divert to Toronto.

The airplane reached Moscow with a delay of 3.5 hours.

The German passenger is reported on the way to recovery.

[flying4dollars]

I'm going to have to say there's something to this that's not being mentioned (I am Captain Obvious today). There's no way an aircraft foreign or domestic on a commercial flight is going to be denied landing for a medical emergency.





.........right?

[Inverted2]

True, but don't forget, we are talking about the USA after all.

[GoinNowhereFast]

They think the East Germans are working with the Cubans to plant a spy. Somebody should really tell them that the wall fell.

[CAL]

or just get over it...the world is too small today......I have to get over shit everyday as do all of you guys on here...why shouldnt the USA have to do it also....

[200hr Wonder]

Just to be the guy who speaks out in favor of the USA. There is a Trade Embargo (right or wrong I am talking politics here) against Cuba. There where 2 Doctors who where attending the patient. I am sure a briefing was given to the Capt. of the aircraft as well as ATC and the seriousness of the situation taken into consideration as to weather or not to allow the aircraft to land in the US. I am sure that if it was serious enough that the extra time could not be tolerated they would have been allowed to land at JFK. Additional to this I am sure there are other airports in Canada closer than YYZ that could handle the A330 and the patient thus indicating that it was not an urgent case.

Just being the devil's advocate here.

Cheers,

200hr Wonder

[rotorhead350]

F**K the USA once again and their policies! Cuba is a way better place today without America corrupting it! I would love to see a country like North Korea or China, or even Iran not allow a US airline to land for a medical emergency, and then to see americas reaction.

[bmc]

There was a risk they would spread communism once on the ground.

[loopa]

I wonder what would happen if the pax died cause of he delay caused by the states?

[dashx]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora's_Clock

Maybe just maybe........

[sky's the limit]

Hey,

Look on the bright side, we're getting a front row seat to the decline of a short-lived Super Power... The paranoia should only get more and more entertaining - grab some popcorn and a comfy chair, the next 20yrs will be interesting.


stl

[ehbuddy]

The USA owns the world (and the Moon too) and they dictate how things on the planet should be run. Had it been an American Airlines flight being denied a landing in some foreign Port-of-Call they would have just landing anyways and if that country objected to it they would just have a trade embargo against them or invade them.

[mike123]

Why are you all so sure that landing was denied due to political considerations?

[ottawa,kan]

I'm pretty sure that an American plane in an emergency would not be allowed to land in North Korea. Nor a Canadian one. As for STL, if in 20 years we even approach the current decline of Canada, I'll be dissapointed.

[CPLMike89]

They think the East Germans are working with the Cubans to plant a spy. Somebody should really tell them that the wall fell.

THE ZWAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRTT!

[flying4dollars]

I'm pretty sure that an American plane in an emergency would not be allowed to land in North Korea. Nor a Canadian one. As for STL, if in 20 years we even approach the current decline of Canada, I'll be dissapointed.

I think even in an emergency an American plane wouldn't WANT to land in North Korea :S That's an emergency all on its own.

[altiplano]

-

[mike123]

F**K the USA once again and their policies! Cuba is a way better place today without America corrupting it!

Cuba is so much better that many Cubans are ready to risk their lives ir order to leave that workers' paradise and go to the evil US.
Yeah, Cubans drive 40 y.o. russian cars and pimp their own wives to foreign tourists, but hey, there are no evil Americans corrupting their land.

[randallg]

I can't believe some of the anti-US schadenfreude here. When they are no longer the super power, which is what they are currently trying hard to achieve, Canada and the rest of the free world will not benefit. In fact the economic consequences will VERY bad for commercial pilots everywhere. So enjoy your vitriol while you can.

[dashx]

there are no evil Americans corrupting their land

no. Just cheap Canadians out for a holiday...

Hmmm..... All this American bashing....

I don´t know.

Just curious. Have any of you been denied entry in the US? Lost a job there? Discriminated against there? Beaten up? Robbed?

Or you just don´t like their policies?

Because..

You know...

You don´t have to live there.....

Just cross the border and shop there....

Target Walmart JC Penney Sears (you know the size of their tool dept!!!!) just to mention a few

No wonder the guy wanted to go the US........

[mike123]

Hmmm..... All this American bashing....

Just tried to give a sarcastic response to the poster who wrote that Cuba has become a better place after they got rid of Americans.

[Ralliart]

Maybe the price of Jet-A was better in YYZ

[the_professor]

Hey,

Look on the bright side, we're getting a front row seat to the decline of a short-lived Super Power... The paranoia should only get more and more entertaining - grab some popcorn and a comfy chair, the next 20yrs will be interesting.


stl

I hope you're wrong, because they'll take us down with them.

87% of our exports go to the US, plus the US provides the only real military security that this country has. Our military certainly isn't funded adequately to the point where we could defend ourselves with our 12,000 combat troops. That's not the troops' fault of course, it's the fault of where we put our priorities in this country.

[Bede]

I'm pretty sure that an American plane in an emergency would not be allowed to land in North Korea. Nor a Canadian one. As for STL, if in 20 years we even approach the current decline of Canada, I'll be dissapointed.

Sure they'd be allowed to land. They just wouldn't be allowed to take-off again.

[wabano]

Sad, very sad...

Communists unable to stop bashing the USA
even when their own man
is in control...

Just be patient, my little Stalins...you have a disciple of Alinski(terror apologist)
in control over there, whose mentor was Bill Ayers, the Weather Underground leader.

He'll manage to have us all live in caves pretty soon, all according
to well laid out plans by Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot and Castro!

If you been around a bit, you know Canada is a pale imitation of the USA
and outside these two countries, life is a nightmare.
(You still need 900 Euros to buy what a $100 us or can will buy)
All these "Socialist paradises" are like living in prison,
unless you are in the nomenklatoura...

The USA's presidents, yesterday and today!



By the way, any pilot with half a brain cell will
first take care of the emergency and fill the paperwork later,
this being perfectly legal in ANY country of the world.

This russian captain remind me of the American Airline profound cretin
who, unable to raise Cuban ATC for a deviation, flew right through a CB,
injuring dozen and damaging the airplane...