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‘Biohazard’ prompts United Airlines flight diversion

Jul 29, 2024, 4:47 PM

FILE - A United Airlines plane is pushed from the gate at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Aug...

FILE - A United Airlines plane is pushed from the gate at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Aug. 11, 2023, in Houston. United Airlines flights were halted nationwide on Tuesday, Sept. 5, because of an “equipment outage,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

(CNN) — A “biohazard” on a United Airlines flight is the latest midair incident to trigger an unplanned, early landing of a commercial plane.

United Airlines says one passenger’s “medical issue” caused flight 2477 to land in Virginia, where the plane had to be “deep cleaned.” FlightAware shows the flight departing Houston on Sunday morning, then diverting to Washington Dulles International Airport about two hours into the trip. The flight was bound for Boston Logan International Airport.

Audio posted on X by Thenewarea51 captured a flight crew member describing a “biohazard” on board the flight.

“It sounds like it’s quite bad back there,” the recording captured. “The crew is vomiting and passengers all around are asking for masks.”

In a statement, United says “we deep cleaned the aircraft and it departed for Boston later that afternoon.”

This is the latest gross incident on board a commercial flight.

Earlier this month, a Delta flight diverted to New York when spoiled food made passengers sick. In April, a United flight had to return to San Francisco when a toilet began overflowing.

Like ‘little bombs,’ soda cans are exploding on Southwest flights. Here’s why


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‘Biohazard’ prompts United Airlines flight diversion