The Lord Mayor of Cork came to the aid of a passenger during a mid-air medical emergency at the weekend.
The city’s first citizen, Cllr John Sheehan, a GP based in Blackpool on the northside of the city, played down his role in the incident during the flight from Croatia on Saturday and praised Aer Lingus cabin crew for their professionalism, and his fellow passengers for how they reacted to and during the entire incident.
He said he did what he could to make the female passenger comfortable during the remainder of the flight before the aircraft landed safely at Cork Airport and she was handed over into the care of paramedics, who took her to hospital for treatment.
“The entire flight crew were exceptional really. They responded incredibly well, as did the passengers on the flight. People gave up their seats so the patient could have a front row seat, and be made more comfortable. Everyone remained very calm throughout,” he said.
Mr Sheehan, a Fianna Fáil councillor who was elected Lord Mayor in May, was on board the Aer Lingus flight from Dubrovnik on Saturday evening returning from a family holiday with his wife and two of his four children.
They were about 15 minutes into the flight when a passenger required urgent medical assistance prompting cabin crew to ask if there was a doctor or nurse on board.
Mr Sheehan stepped forward, as did at least one other passenger, understood to be a nurse.
Mr Sheehan said he assessed the passenger and remained with her and her partner for the duration of the flight. He described her condition as stable.
I provided what assistance I could. It’s just what you do
The captain of the flight radioed ahead and requested medical assistance to be waiting on the apron at Cork Airport when the aircraft landed.
Within minutes of touchdown, the aircraft taxied to the terminal building where some passengers were requested to stay on board for a few extra minutes, while others exited the aircraft to the rear, to allow paramedics board the aircraft from the front and assess the patient, before she was removed and taken by ambulance to hospital for further medical treatment.
One passenger who was on board the flight and witnessed the incident praised Mr Sheehan for his calm response and he said the flight crew handled the incident very well.
He said the thoughts of everyone on board the flight are with the woman at the centre of the medical drama and her partner.
