Passengers, including First Lady Sandra Granger, who were on a Caribbean Airlines flight, BW 527, that was scheduled to arrive in Guyana at 7 am yesterday from the John F Kennedy airport never made it until five and half hours later after a traveller fell ill.
Reports are that an 84-year-old man, identified as Cyril Trotman, fell unconscious and as a result the plane was forced to turn back one and a half hours after take-off. Cabin crew reportedly requested assistance and a doctor who was onboard was able to revive the man, although the emergency kit on the aircraft did not contain a stethoscope, blood pressure equipment or aspirin at the time.
Medics and officers from the New York Police Department were waiting at the airport to take the man off the plane when it arrived.
By the time the flight was ready for takeoff again, it had to make a brief unscheduled stop in Trinidad to change crew.
Among the other passengers onboard were Attorney General Basil Williams, Minister of Health Volda Lawrence and Minister of Social Security Amna Ally. The team had gone to New York for an event.
