Qantas flight forced to make ‘dramatic' landing in Azerbaijan after medical emergency
A Qantas flight bound from London to Singapore has made a 'dramatic' diversion to Azerbaijan after a medical emergency, leaving Aussie passengers stuck overnight.
The QF2 London to Singapore service was diverted to Baku in Azerbaijan and landed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport between Russia and Iran after a medical emergency.
Speaking to the ABC, Australian doctor and passenger Hamish Urquhart said the flight was diverted after a woman in her 60s suffered a cardiac episode. 'The lady was really quite unwell and needed intravenous access while we were trying to land, which was a bit challenging,' Dr Urquhart explained, adding he was required to stabilise the woman alongside other medical professionals on-board.
He said the pilot had to make a 'dramatic 180-degree-turn' to make a safe landing at the airport in Baku.
A Qantas spokesperson told NewsWire there was no emergency landing made.
'Our QF2 London to Singapore service diverted to Baku in Azerbaijan earlier today due to a medical incident on-board,' they said.
'We apologise to customers for the disruption and are working to get them on their way to Singapore as soon as possible.'
The spokesperson told NewsWire the passengers en route to Singapore would be provided with accommodation and will board a new flight on Tuesday morning as operating crew had 'reached their duty limit'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
20 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
'Silent crisis': half of Aussie men delay health checks
Cost pressures drive Australian men to delay health checks and stretch their medication, with research revealing half postpone medical appointments. About one in 10 men have also reduced or skipped prescribed doses to make their medication last longer, according to findings released by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. The findings are a wake-up call on a silent crisis in men's health, the foundation's chief executive Anne Savage says. "These finds are a significant concern," she told AAP. "For too many men, cost is becoming a barrier to care, and that has real consequences. "Cost of living is really impacting the lives and the health of Australians." The research released ahead of Men's Health Week surveyed more than 1300 men nationwide, finding 51 per cent had delayed or avoided seeing a healthcare professional due to cost concerns. Meanwhile, 57 per cent of respondents admitted that healthcare is expensive, and 92 per cent believed the government should do more to reduce healthcare costs. The research also found the cost of private health insurance remains a significant barrier to accessing care for many. Ms Savage says it's vital to keep conversations about men's health going to raise awareness, improve understanding and encourage preventive action. She told AAP it's important for men to take proactive steps in managing their health, particularly when it comes to early detection and regular check-ups. "We know that when men suffer, their wives, partners and their children also suffer (along) with our community," she said. Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, accounting for one in three cancer diagnoses among men. While 96 per cent of respondents agreed prostate cancer was a major impact on men's quality of life, they noted stigma and high costs continue to create major hurdles in seeking help. "We need to normalise men seeking help, remove the financial barriers, and support early detection," Ms Savage said. "When men put off seeing a GP or stretch their medications just to get by, we increase the risks of delayed diagnosis of a range of serious illnesses and disease, including prostate cancer." Cost pressures drive Australian men to delay health checks and stretch their medication, with research revealing half postpone medical appointments. About one in 10 men have also reduced or skipped prescribed doses to make their medication last longer, according to findings released by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. The findings are a wake-up call on a silent crisis in men's health, the foundation's chief executive Anne Savage says. "These finds are a significant concern," she told AAP. "For too many men, cost is becoming a barrier to care, and that has real consequences. "Cost of living is really impacting the lives and the health of Australians." The research released ahead of Men's Health Week surveyed more than 1300 men nationwide, finding 51 per cent had delayed or avoided seeing a healthcare professional due to cost concerns. Meanwhile, 57 per cent of respondents admitted that healthcare is expensive, and 92 per cent believed the government should do more to reduce healthcare costs. The research also found the cost of private health insurance remains a significant barrier to accessing care for many. Ms Savage says it's vital to keep conversations about men's health going to raise awareness, improve understanding and encourage preventive action. She told AAP it's important for men to take proactive steps in managing their health, particularly when it comes to early detection and regular check-ups. "We know that when men suffer, their wives, partners and their children also suffer (along) with our community," she said. Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, accounting for one in three cancer diagnoses among men. While 96 per cent of respondents agreed prostate cancer was a major impact on men's quality of life, they noted stigma and high costs continue to create major hurdles in seeking help. "We need to normalise men seeking help, remove the financial barriers, and support early detection," Ms Savage said. "When men put off seeing a GP or stretch their medications just to get by, we increase the risks of delayed diagnosis of a range of serious illnesses and disease, including prostate cancer." Cost pressures drive Australian men to delay health checks and stretch their medication, with research revealing half postpone medical appointments. About one in 10 men have also reduced or skipped prescribed doses to make their medication last longer, according to findings released by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. The findings are a wake-up call on a silent crisis in men's health, the foundation's chief executive Anne Savage says. "These finds are a significant concern," she told AAP. "For too many men, cost is becoming a barrier to care, and that has real consequences. "Cost of living is really impacting the lives and the health of Australians." The research released ahead of Men's Health Week surveyed more than 1300 men nationwide, finding 51 per cent had delayed or avoided seeing a healthcare professional due to cost concerns. Meanwhile, 57 per cent of respondents admitted that healthcare is expensive, and 92 per cent believed the government should do more to reduce healthcare costs. The research also found the cost of private health insurance remains a significant barrier to accessing care for many. Ms Savage says it's vital to keep conversations about men's health going to raise awareness, improve understanding and encourage preventive action. She told AAP it's important for men to take proactive steps in managing their health, particularly when it comes to early detection and regular check-ups. "We know that when men suffer, their wives, partners and their children also suffer (along) with our community," she said. Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, accounting for one in three cancer diagnoses among men. While 96 per cent of respondents agreed prostate cancer was a major impact on men's quality of life, they noted stigma and high costs continue to create major hurdles in seeking help. "We need to normalise men seeking help, remove the financial barriers, and support early detection," Ms Savage said. "When men put off seeing a GP or stretch their medications just to get by, we increase the risks of delayed diagnosis of a range of serious illnesses and disease, including prostate cancer." Cost pressures drive Australian men to delay health checks and stretch their medication, with research revealing half postpone medical appointments. About one in 10 men have also reduced or skipped prescribed doses to make their medication last longer, according to findings released by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. The findings are a wake-up call on a silent crisis in men's health, the foundation's chief executive Anne Savage says. "These finds are a significant concern," she told AAP. "For too many men, cost is becoming a barrier to care, and that has real consequences. "Cost of living is really impacting the lives and the health of Australians." The research released ahead of Men's Health Week surveyed more than 1300 men nationwide, finding 51 per cent had delayed or avoided seeing a healthcare professional due to cost concerns. Meanwhile, 57 per cent of respondents admitted that healthcare is expensive, and 92 per cent believed the government should do more to reduce healthcare costs. The research also found the cost of private health insurance remains a significant barrier to accessing care for many. Ms Savage says it's vital to keep conversations about men's health going to raise awareness, improve understanding and encourage preventive action. She told AAP it's important for men to take proactive steps in managing their health, particularly when it comes to early detection and regular check-ups. "We know that when men suffer, their wives, partners and their children also suffer (along) with our community," she said. Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, accounting for one in three cancer diagnoses among men. While 96 per cent of respondents agreed prostate cancer was a major impact on men's quality of life, they noted stigma and high costs continue to create major hurdles in seeking help. "We need to normalise men seeking help, remove the financial barriers, and support early detection," Ms Savage said. "When men put off seeing a GP or stretch their medications just to get by, we increase the risks of delayed diagnosis of a range of serious illnesses and disease, including prostate cancer."
The Advertiser
20 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Approach to forever chemicals 'piecemeal, inadequate'
Australia should set up a nationally coordinated program to determine the extent of contamination by forever chemicals to better understand health risks, the nation's distinguished scientists say. A parliamentary inquiry is examining the regulation and management of PFAS and is holding a public hearing in Canberra on Tuesday. PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been widely used in products including cookware and firefighting foams due to their oil and water repellence and temperature resistance. In a submission, the Australian Academy of Science says the majority of PFAS are highly stable and can persist in the environment for years, with the potential to "contaminate water sources and accumulate in the bodies of humans and animals". The academy has called for monitoring to allow for assessment of the environmental and human risk, to inform management and remediation efforts. "The present piecemeal approach is inadequate," the submission reads. "The extent and distribution of PFAS in the Australian environment are not known. "This is a significant knowledge gap that needs to be filled. There is no nationally consistent methodology and protocols, meaning direct comparisons and useful conclusions from different inputs are sub-optimal." The science academy says it is imperative Australia boosts its monitoring efforts to "inform robust policy responses to address legitimate concerns". Despite Australia having phased out the use of forever chemicals in firefighting foams, the risk of contamination of soil and water remains in areas near airports, defence bases and firefighting training bases. Cancer Council Australia noted the evidence for a causative link between PFAS and cancer is "weak and conflicting", although research is rapidly evolving. The council said there was a need for clearer guidance about the potential risks posed to public health by PFAS contamination and exposure. "A national approach to environmental and human bio-monitoring should be implemented to track long-term trends in the potential health impacts of PFAS," the submission reads. The monitoring of communities in Australia at risk of higher exposure to PFAS is warranted, the Cancer Council says. The inquiry will report in early August. Australia should set up a nationally coordinated program to determine the extent of contamination by forever chemicals to better understand health risks, the nation's distinguished scientists say. A parliamentary inquiry is examining the regulation and management of PFAS and is holding a public hearing in Canberra on Tuesday. PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been widely used in products including cookware and firefighting foams due to their oil and water repellence and temperature resistance. In a submission, the Australian Academy of Science says the majority of PFAS are highly stable and can persist in the environment for years, with the potential to "contaminate water sources and accumulate in the bodies of humans and animals". The academy has called for monitoring to allow for assessment of the environmental and human risk, to inform management and remediation efforts. "The present piecemeal approach is inadequate," the submission reads. "The extent and distribution of PFAS in the Australian environment are not known. "This is a significant knowledge gap that needs to be filled. There is no nationally consistent methodology and protocols, meaning direct comparisons and useful conclusions from different inputs are sub-optimal." The science academy says it is imperative Australia boosts its monitoring efforts to "inform robust policy responses to address legitimate concerns". Despite Australia having phased out the use of forever chemicals in firefighting foams, the risk of contamination of soil and water remains in areas near airports, defence bases and firefighting training bases. Cancer Council Australia noted the evidence for a causative link between PFAS and cancer is "weak and conflicting", although research is rapidly evolving. The council said there was a need for clearer guidance about the potential risks posed to public health by PFAS contamination and exposure. "A national approach to environmental and human bio-monitoring should be implemented to track long-term trends in the potential health impacts of PFAS," the submission reads. The monitoring of communities in Australia at risk of higher exposure to PFAS is warranted, the Cancer Council says. The inquiry will report in early August. Australia should set up a nationally coordinated program to determine the extent of contamination by forever chemicals to better understand health risks, the nation's distinguished scientists say. A parliamentary inquiry is examining the regulation and management of PFAS and is holding a public hearing in Canberra on Tuesday. PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been widely used in products including cookware and firefighting foams due to their oil and water repellence and temperature resistance. In a submission, the Australian Academy of Science says the majority of PFAS are highly stable and can persist in the environment for years, with the potential to "contaminate water sources and accumulate in the bodies of humans and animals". The academy has called for monitoring to allow for assessment of the environmental and human risk, to inform management and remediation efforts. "The present piecemeal approach is inadequate," the submission reads. "The extent and distribution of PFAS in the Australian environment are not known. "This is a significant knowledge gap that needs to be filled. There is no nationally consistent methodology and protocols, meaning direct comparisons and useful conclusions from different inputs are sub-optimal." The science academy says it is imperative Australia boosts its monitoring efforts to "inform robust policy responses to address legitimate concerns". Despite Australia having phased out the use of forever chemicals in firefighting foams, the risk of contamination of soil and water remains in areas near airports, defence bases and firefighting training bases. Cancer Council Australia noted the evidence for a causative link between PFAS and cancer is "weak and conflicting", although research is rapidly evolving. The council said there was a need for clearer guidance about the potential risks posed to public health by PFAS contamination and exposure. "A national approach to environmental and human bio-monitoring should be implemented to track long-term trends in the potential health impacts of PFAS," the submission reads. The monitoring of communities in Australia at risk of higher exposure to PFAS is warranted, the Cancer Council says. The inquiry will report in early August. Australia should set up a nationally coordinated program to determine the extent of contamination by forever chemicals to better understand health risks, the nation's distinguished scientists say. A parliamentary inquiry is examining the regulation and management of PFAS and is holding a public hearing in Canberra on Tuesday. PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been widely used in products including cookware and firefighting foams due to their oil and water repellence and temperature resistance. In a submission, the Australian Academy of Science says the majority of PFAS are highly stable and can persist in the environment for years, with the potential to "contaminate water sources and accumulate in the bodies of humans and animals". The academy has called for monitoring to allow for assessment of the environmental and human risk, to inform management and remediation efforts. "The present piecemeal approach is inadequate," the submission reads. "The extent and distribution of PFAS in the Australian environment are not known. "This is a significant knowledge gap that needs to be filled. There is no nationally consistent methodology and protocols, meaning direct comparisons and useful conclusions from different inputs are sub-optimal." The science academy says it is imperative Australia boosts its monitoring efforts to "inform robust policy responses to address legitimate concerns". Despite Australia having phased out the use of forever chemicals in firefighting foams, the risk of contamination of soil and water remains in areas near airports, defence bases and firefighting training bases. Cancer Council Australia noted the evidence for a causative link between PFAS and cancer is "weak and conflicting", although research is rapidly evolving. The council said there was a need for clearer guidance about the potential risks posed to public health by PFAS contamination and exposure. "A national approach to environmental and human bio-monitoring should be implemented to track long-term trends in the potential health impacts of PFAS," the submission reads. The monitoring of communities in Australia at risk of higher exposure to PFAS is warranted, the Cancer Council says. The inquiry will report in early August.
The Age
35 minutes ago
- The Age
Think gluten makes you sick? A new test could tell you for sure
It's a terrible dilemma. Sick of suffering diarrhoea, fatigue and bloating, people who suspect they might have coeliac disease give up gluten and begin to feel better. But then a doctor orders them to keep eating bread for months. That's because coeliac disease can be diagnosed only if the body is reacting against gluten. Now Australian scientists have developed a new ultra-sensitive blood test for the disease that works even in people following a strict gluten-free diet. The researchers believe the test could one day replace the need for gastroscopies and biopsies of the intestine to check for damage, the current methods doctors use to confirm diagnosis. 'People want to get tested, but then they're told they have to go back to eating gluten, which is really difficult because it often makes them sick. We're talking a couple of slices of bread a day for six weeks,' lead author of the Gastroenterology study from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Associate Professor Jason Tye-Din, said. Loading The draining and tedious testing process is part of the reason the disease is underdiagnosed. One study estimated 80 per cent of people with the disease don't know they have it. 'It's an important lifelong condition. It can lead to infertility and osteoporosis and cancers,' he said. About 10 to 15 per cent of Australians are on gluten-free diets, but many are unsure if they have coeliac disease or just a gluten intolerance. (Both have similar symptoms but only coeliac disease results in long-term gut damage).
