212 Passengers Stranded on Plane as Hazmat Crews Respond to Mystery Illness

Emergency vehicles surrounded a Eurowings aircraft at Düsseldorf Airport in Germany after passengers on a flight from Greece began experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Medical personnel wearing protective suits boarded the plane, and three travelers were eventually taken to the hospital.

The incident occurred on Oct. 18 aboard flight EW9631 from Rhodes, carrying 212 passengers and seven crew members. Although norovirus has been suggested as a possible cause, the airline says it has not determined what made the passengers sick.

In an interview with Need To Know published on Oct. 21, passenger Nathalie Gombik, 28, described the unsettling experience of watching the emergency response unfold. She said passengers were required to remain aboard for approximately 90 minutes after landing.

The medical scare has attracted additional attention because Rhodes, a popular Greek vacation destination, has actually experienced a significant norovirus outbreak in recent months.

Emergency Crews Meet Plane at Düsseldorf Airport

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Eurowings confirmed to RTL that the pilots requested priority landing after several travelers reported feeling seriously unwell.

With the number of affected passengers initially uncertain, emergency services dispatched at least 10 ambulances and additional response vehicles to the airport, according to RTL.

Medical personnel evaluated three passengers after landing. All three went to the hospital as a precaution. According to WDR, Eurowings confirmed that the remaining passengers were able to return home after the medical response.

Gombik, who had been returning from vacation with her partner, said the scene on the ground was considerably more alarming than what most people had witnessed inside the cabin. She praised the crew’s composure, telling Need To Know, “The flight attendants remained calm, composed and discreet throughout the incident.”

Gombik said she knew of three people who became ill during the flight and suspected approximately three others were experiencing symptoms. Some passengers were vomiting, although the full number affected has not been confirmed. She also recorded footage of the medical response, including emergency workers boarding the aircraft in protective clothing.

Norovirus Outbreak on Rhodes Raises Questions

Rhodes has experienced a considerable increase in gastrointestinal illnesses since July. According to Kathimerini, which reported on the outbreak on Oct. 2, nearly 1,800 cases had been recorded since mid-July, including more than 1,400 patients treated at Rhodes Hospital since Aug. 10.

Stelios Karatapanis, a hospital physician and chairman of the infectious-disease committee, told the publication that tests on patient samples confirmed norovirus as the cause of the broader outbreak.

Norovirus spreads easily through contact with infected people or contaminated surfaces and food. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms commonly include vomiting and diarrhea, typically appearing between 12 and 48 hours after exposure.

Water samples taken from parts of Rhodes affected by the outbreak tested negative for norovirus, according to Kathimerini.

Eurowings has said the cause of the onboard illnesses is still being investigated. There has been no confirmed norovirus diagnosis for the hospitalized travelers, leaving the question of what sickened the passengers unresolved.