A transatlantic United Airlines flight had to divert to Dublin due to a medical emergency

A United Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Newark diverted to Dublin.
The airline told Business Insider it was due to a “health concern.”
One aviation outlet reported that one of the pilots had chest pains.The Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday.

Just over an hour into the journey, it circled a few times over the Scottish Highlands before continuing, according to data from Flightradar24.

An hour and a half later, Flight 71 was over the Atlantic Ocean and around 200 miles south of Iceland when it U-turned.It landed in Dublin about four hours after taking off from Amsterdam. A direct flight between the Irish and Dutch capitals usually takes around an hour and a half.A United Airlines representative confirmed to Business Insider that the plane diverted to “address a health concern.” Dublin Airport declined to comment.

The Aviation Herald reported that one of the pilots had a medical emergency as they experienced chest pains.

Data from Flightradar24 shows the same Boeing 777 took off from Dublin an hour and a half after landing there. It landed in Newark shortly before 4 p.m. local time — having previously been expected to arrive around 11 a.m.A pilot suffering a mid-flight medical issue is rare but not unheard of.

Last December, an off-duty pilot stepped in to help fly a WestJet Boeing 737 when the flight’s first officer was suddenly incapacitated mid-flight.

Last July, an easyJet flight was met by paramedics upon landing in Lisbon after one of the pilots fainted during the flight.