United Airlines Flight 2477, en route from Houston to Boston, was urgently diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport on Sunday due to a severe onboard "biohazard" incident.
United Airlines Flight 2477, en route from Houston to Boston, was urgently diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport on Sunday due to a severe onboard "biohazard" incident. The Boeing 737-800, which left Houston at 9:39 a.m. CT, made an unscheduled landing at 1:36 p.m. ET after a passenger’s illness led to a distressing situation involving both crew members and passengers.
According to audio recordings from the cockpit, the pilots faced a critical situation. "I talked to the crew and it sounds like it's quite bad back there. It's still really bad. The crew is vomiting, and passengers all around are all asking for masks, etc. I think we probably need to get this plane on the ground ASAP," the pilot communicated to air traffic control.
NEW - Audio Reveals Crew's Distress During United Airlines Emergency Landing Over 'Biohazard' |
"I think we probably need to get this plan on the ground ASAP."
United Airlines Flight 2477, traveling from Houston to Boston, was forced to make an emergency landing in Washington,… pic.twitter.com/PAYPnqUtZj
United Airlines crew and passengers vomited due to a “biohazard” from a passenger, and flight diverted to Dulles this afternoon. ✈️
View 's data at https://t.co/yICHnUvaVJ pic.twitter.com/qOsPUzWvww
The nature of the "biohazard" that prompted the emergency remains unclear, but the distressing conditions necessitated a quick landing for a thorough deep cleaning. Upon arrival at Dulles, no medical assistance was required for the 155 passengers or 6 crew members. United Airlines confirmed that the aircraft would undergo a deep clean before resuming its journey to Boston at 3:40 p.m. ET.
This incident comes on the heels of another unusual situation involving United Airlines. On July 9, a disruptive passenger on Flight 762 from Miami to Newark bit a flight attendant and engaged in an outburst mid-flight, leading to a diversion to Orlando. The passenger's unruly behavior, including physical aggression and verbal abuse, was captured on video and led to a three-and-a-half-hour delay.
Unhinged passenger bit a chunk of fabric out of a flight attendant's shirt in a mid-fight meltdown
The woman was on United Airlines Flight from to Newark pic.twitter.com/Oiq8VF5hBw
Earlier in April, United Airlines faced another challenge when a dog's mess in the first-class aisle led to a diversion of Flight 422 from Houston to Seattle. The flight was redirected to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, where ground crew spent over two hours attempting to clean the affected area. Despite their efforts, the unpleasant odor persisted, affecting passenger comfort.