Girl, 8, dies after mid-flight medical episode on Chicago-bound plane while flying with her family for vacation
An 8-year-old girl died Thursday after she became unresponsive on a Chicago-bound flight 🍨that was forced to make an emergency landing in Peoria, Illinois, officials said.
Sydney Weston was flying with her family from Joplin, Missouri for vacat𓄧ion in the Windy City when she suffered a medical emergency mid-flight.
The plane was diverted and landed at General Wayne A. Downing Peoria Internatꦍional Airport in Illinois around 7 a.m. after the emergency was reported.
“Upon lan🍌ding in Peoria, sꦑhe was not breathing and had no pulse,” the Peoria County Coroner’s Office .
Emergency resp🐽onders 𝐆met the plane at the airport.
She was taken to to OSF Healthcare Saint Francis Medical Center where “despite aggressive resuscitative efforts,” she ultimately died, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Flight data shows United flight 5121 departed Joplin at 5:51 a.m., diverted while traveling🅷 to Chicago’s O’Hare Airp༺ort and landed in Peoria at 7:02 a.m.
The flight was operated by the regional SkyWest airline, which has contracts with several other major airlines, according to United.
SkyWest told The Post that the flight was forced to land due to a passenger in “medical dis💙tress.”
“W🎀e appreciate the efforts of our crewmembers who responded quickly to assist and the medical personnel who met the aircraft,” the airline said.
An autopsy has been scheduled for Friday. The coroner’s office said it will provide updates when it’s completed.
