BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — An Allegiant flight had to make an emergency landing at McGhee Tyson on Wednesday morning, the Federal Aviation Authority confirmed in an email.
There was a medical emergency with a passenger on board the plane, FAA spokesperson Jim Peters said.
According to Allegiant spokesperson Sonya Padgett, Flight 2331, which departed Orlando Sanford International Airport at 7:31 a.m. with 131 people on board, had to divert to Knoxville after a passenger experienced a medical emergency. Paramedics met the aircraft and transported the passenger to the hospital. The flight has continued to its destination, and it is scheduled to land at Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan, at 12:11 p.m.
Padgett said Allegiant does not release information about passengers so there is no word on the passenger's condition at this time.
However, Lisa Hickman reached out to 10News to let us know that her 84-year-old father, Jimmie D. Long, passed away shortly after landing in Knoxville. He was heading to his hometown of Holly, Michigan. She said the airline employees took incredibly good care of them during a tough time, and she was very thankful for them.