A Qantas flight bound for Dallas has been forced to return to Sydney after a passenger suffered a medical emergency mid-flight, causing a dramatic eight-hour detour.
Flight QF7 was four hours into its journey and near Fiji when crew members made the decision to turn the aircraft around after a passenger required urgent medical treatment.
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The plane was unable to land in Fiji as it was carrying too much fuel for the Pacific Island’s facilities, forcing pilots to dump fuel over the ocean before making the long journey back to Sydney.
Olympic diver Sam Fricker was among the passengers on board and documented the incident on social media.
“Sad to see them dumping fuel over the ocean,” Fricker said.
“It’s also, you know, a tough time for fuel, so I can’t imagine how expensive this must be for them, but it goes to show the cost of human life, human life is priceless.”
The passenger was treated by medical staff upon landing in Sydney, causing a further two-hour delay for the remaining passengers.
The flight eventually departed again for Dallas with all passengers safely onboard.
7NEWS.com.au has contacted Qantas for comment.
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