A B757-200 in cruise flight had a passenger medical emergency. They declared an emergency and turned...

Attributes
ACN	711066
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	711066
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude cabin event : passenger illness inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Approximately 50 mins into flight; approaching intersection at FL390; #1 flight attendant called to advise of possible medical emergency. Captain and I discussed diversion options and made preparations for divert to ZZZ2. #1 flight attendant called back to confirm medical emergency (possible stroke or heart attack); no medical professionals on board. With captain's concurrence I contacted comrdo HF and declared a medical emergency and requested a divert to ZZZ2. Comrdo instructed us to stand by. Captain initiated a 15 NM offset to right. With no clearance from oceanic after approximately 5 mins; captain exercised his emergency authority/authorized and initiated an expedited descent to FL280 and turned toward ZZZ2. Concurrently; I (first officer) transmitted a 'pan; pan; pan' on frequency 121.5; stating our position; altitude; and intentions. Shortly thereafter; oceanic cleared us direct to ZZZ2 and advised to stop our descent at FL320 for traffic. At no time was any traffic observed visually or on TCAS (40 NM scale/lower). Center then acquired radar identify with us and reclred us direct ZZZ2 and subsequent dscnts. Throughout the emergency a line of embedded thunderstorms necessitated numerous deviations. Flight landed at ZZZ2 safely; aircraft met by crash fire rescue equipment at gate and distressed passenger removed. Flight re-departed for ZZZ3. Safety report is being submitted as oceanic queried us several times as to reason for descent during emergency. As stated above; descent was to exit the airway and track and divert as well as to avoid overhangs and severe WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 IN CRUISE FLT HAD A PAX MEDICAL EMER. THEY DECLARED AN EMER AND TURNED BACK TO A DIVERSION ARPT TO HAVE ILL PAX REMOVED.

Narrative: APPROX 50 MINS INTO FLT; APCHING INTXN AT FL390; #1 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO ADVISE OF POSSIBLE MEDICAL EMER. CAPT AND I DISCUSSED DIVERSION OPTIONS AND MADE PREPARATIONS FOR DIVERT TO ZZZ2. #1 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED BACK TO CONFIRM MEDICAL EMER (POSSIBLE STROKE OR HEART ATTACK); NO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ON BOARD. WITH CAPT'S CONCURRENCE I CONTACTED COMRDO HF AND DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER AND REQUESTED A DIVERT TO ZZZ2. COMRDO INSTRUCTED US TO STAND BY. CAPT INITIATED A 15 NM OFFSET TO R. WITH NO CLRNC FROM OCEANIC AFTER APPROX 5 MINS; CAPT EXERCISED HIS EMER AUTH AND INITIATED AN EXPEDITED DSCNT TO FL280 AND TURNED TOWARD ZZZ2. CONCURRENTLY; I (FO) XMITTED A 'PAN; PAN; PAN' ON FREQ 121.5; STATING OUR POS; ALT; AND INTENTIONS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; OCEANIC CLRED US DIRECT TO ZZZ2 AND ADVISED TO STOP OUR DSCNT AT FL320 FOR TFC. AT NO TIME WAS ANY TFC OBSERVED VISUALLY OR ON TCAS (40 NM SCALE/LOWER). CTR THEN ACQUIRED RADAR IDENT WITH US AND RECLRED US DIRECT ZZZ2 AND SUBSEQUENT DSCNTS. THROUGHOUT THE EMER A LINE OF EMBEDDED TSTMS NECESSITATED NUMEROUS DEVS. FLT LANDED AT ZZZ2 SAFELY; ACFT MET BY CFR AT GATE AND DISTRESSED PAX REMOVED. FLT RE-DEPARTED FOR ZZZ3. SAFETY RPT IS BEING SUBMITTED AS OCEANIC QUERIED US SEVERAL TIMES AS TO REASON FOR DSCNT DURING EMER. AS STATED ABOVE; DSCNT WAS TO EXIT THE AIRWAY AND TRACK AND DIVERT AS WELL AS TO AVOID OVERHANGS AND SEVERE WX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A B757-200 in cruise flight had a passenger medical emergency. They declared an emergency and turned back to a diversion airport to have ill passenger removed.