Vietnam Airlines diverts landing in India to rescue passengers

Vietnam Airlines flight VN56 departing from London (UK) to Hanoi at 6:55 p.m. (local time) on July 6 had to adjust its route and land at Kolkata airport (India) to assist and provide emergency care to a passenger showing signs of health problems.

Specialized ambulance approaches Vietnam Airlines plane to transfer passengers.

Accordingly, about 9 hours after takeoff, passenger KL (Danish nationality), sitting in seat 26E, showed signs of unstable health. The crew made an announcement to seek medical assistance from qualified passengers and performed first aid.

As the passenger’s health showed no signs of improvement, the flight captain decided to make an emergency landing at Kolkata Airport (India) and informed the ground crew to deploy a medical support plan. The plane landed safely in Kolkata, and the passenger was transferred to a local medical facility for further monitoring and treatment along with two accompanying relatives.

Vietnam Airlines plane landed safely at Kolkata airport.

After completing the necessary procedures, flight VN56 continued its journey to Hanoi at 15:43 (local time) on July 7, 2025.

In flight operations, landing diversion is a pre-planned procedure and is carried out according to the highest safety principles. For Vietnam Airlines, each such decision is a testament to a strong commitment: Passenger health and safety always come first, regardless of whether it changes the operating plan or incurs unexpected costs.

Passengers were transferred to ambulances and taken to emergency care in time.

This is one of many cases in which Vietnam Airlines has adjusted its itinerary to assist passengers in need of medical assistance. Most recently, on June 30, 2025, flight VN7569 from Hanoi to Nha Trang had to land in Da Nang to provide emergency care to a passenger. Previously, on June 16, 2025, flight VN158 from Da Nang to Hanoi landed at Phu Bai Airport (Hue) to provide emergency care to a passenger. On May 5, 2025, flight VN35 from Hanoi to Frankfurt (Germany) also had to make an emergency landing at Erzurum Airport (Türkiye) for the same reason.

Vietnam Airlines advises passengers to proactively monitor and self-assess their health status before each trip. In case of noticing any unusual signs, passengers should consult a doctor promptly and consider taking the flight to ensure health safety.

TUAN PHONG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/vietnam-airlines-chuyen-huong-ha-canh-tai-an-do-de-cap-cuu-hanh-khach-post892244.html