The incident occurred in the early morning hours of June 10 (local time), prompting the Airbus A380 aircraft to divert and land at Heydar Aliyev International Airport.
According to ABC News Australia, the affected passenger—a woman in her 60s—suffered a major cardiac event. Australian doctor Hamish Urquhart, together with an ophthalmologist and a retired surgeon from Melbourne, provided emergency care during the flight. Dr. Urquhart described the situation as “challenging,” noting that the woman required intravenous access while the aircraft was descending.
The pilot executed a sharp 180-degree turn to reach Baku, the closest airport capable of accommodating an Airbus A380. At the time, the aircraft had been heading toward Afghan airspace. The woman, who was traveling with her husband, was transported to a nearby hospital after the plane landed safely at 7:55 a.m. local time.
As a result of the diversion, approximately 400 passengers—many of them Australians—had to disembark and remain in Baku overnight. Qantas confirmed that accommodation would be provided, but complications arose as the airline worked to organize visas and hotel rooms for all passengers.
Dr. Urquhart said passengers were told that Heydar Aliyev International Airport rarely receives A380 aircraft and was not fully equipped to handle such a volume of transit passengers. While passengers initially remained calm, frustration grew over time due to logistical challenges on the ground.
In an official statement, Qantas confirmed that the flight was diverted due to a medical incident onboard. The airline apologized for the disruption and explained that the crew had reached their maximum allowable duty time, which made it impossible to continue the journey the same day. Passengers are expected to depart for Singapore on Tuesday aboard a replacement aircraft flown in from London.
Despite the disruption, the incident was met with understanding from passengers who recognized the severity of the medical emergency and the necessity of the emergency landing.
