A Qantas plane bound for the US has been forced to turned back mid-flight after a medical emergency on-board.
Flight QF7, en route to Dallas, Texas, had been in the air for approximately four hours when it diverted over the North Fiji Basin, before beginning its journey back to Sydney Airport.
Australian Olympic diver Sam Fricker was among those on-board and shared footage from the flight as the situation unfolded.
“Four hours into our flight from Sydney to Texas, there was a medical emergency on board and we had to turn around and head straight back home,” Mr Fricker wrote on Instagram.
“We’ve now got a couple of hours before we try again and make another run at getting to America to compete.
“Really hoping the person who had the medical emergency is okay and getting the care they need.”
In a separate clip filmed by the 23-year-old, the aircraft was seen dumping fuel over the ocean, a standard safety measure undertaken before landing to reduce the plane’s weight.
“It’s sad to see them dumping fuel, we’re over the ocean,” Mr. Fricker said.
“It’s also a tough time for fuel so I can’t imagine how expensive this must be for them.
“It just goes to show the cost of human life is priceless, so if they can save their life, it’s worth it.”
The flight spent a further four hours in the air returning to Sydney, where it landed safely and was met by emergency services on arrival.
Passengers then faced an additional delay of two hours before the flight was ready to depart again. It left Sydney for a second time just after 9.30pm AEST, again headed for Dallas.
The incident comes as Australia battles an ongoing fuel-crisis, which has seen the prices of petrol and diesel skyrocket.
Aircraft operating long-haul routes, including those flown by Qantas, take off with a heavy fuel load to complete their journey, which leaves them well above their maximum safe landing weight in the early hours of a flight.
In the case of an emergency, pilots are often forced to release fuel at a high altitude in order to safely reduce that weight prior to landing.
News.com.au has contacted Qantas for comment.
