Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram flight diverted to Mangaluru International Airport owing to medical emergency

Air India Express flight IX 522, flying from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru International Airport (MgIA) after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board late on on December 1.

The MgIA responded to the medical emergency swiftly.

The airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport immediately activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including Central Industrial Security Force, immigration, and customs, an airport release said on December 2.

Upon landing, the airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged his transfer to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. Relatives accompanied the passenger, who received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the successful handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2.05 a.m. on December 2.

The seamless coordination between the airline, airport staff, and emergency responders ensured the passenger received timely medical attention and the situation was managed efficiently, the airport said.