An El Al flight en route to Miami was forced to turn around Thursday afternoon and divert to Portugal due to a medical emergency involving one of the passengers — just hours after another company flight changed course because of a suspected engine malfunction.

The Miami-bound flight made a U-turn and landed at an alternate airport in Portugal after a passenger experienced a medical emergency during the journey.

In a statement, the airline said: “El Al flight LY1017 from Tel Aviv to Miami landed at an airport en route due to a medical incident involving one of the passengers. After consultation with the company physician, it was decided to land in order to evacuate her to a hospital as soon as possible.”

The company added, “After the passenger is evacuated, the flight will continue to its destination as planned. El Al places the safety and security of its passengers and crew at the top of its priorities.”

The incident occurred only hours after a separate event earlier in the day involving a flight from Tel Aviv to Boston. That flight diverted to Heathrow Airport in London following concerns about a possible technical malfunction in one of the aircraft’s engines.

The plane, which had already entered Atlantic airspace, turned around and landed in London. The airline stated that there was concern over a potential technical issue with one of the engines, possibly limited to an indicator system malfunction. However, in accordance with safety protocols, it was decided not to proceed to the original destination.

{Matzav.com}