Vietnamese doctor treats foreign passenger mid-flight, avoids emergency landing on Hanoi-Paris route
A Vietnamese doctor treated a foreign passenger showing signs of facial paralysis on a flight from Hanoi to Paris, helping the aircraft avoid an emergency landing, a hospital official said.
Mai Duy Ton (back row, C), director of the stroke center at Bach Mai Hospital, poses with the flight crew in this image provided by the hospital after assisting a foreign passenger on a Hanoi–Paris flight, May 4, 2026. Photo: Bach Mai Hospital
The incident occurred late on Monday on Vietnam Airlines flight VN19 while the aircraft was at cruising altitude, according to Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi.
About four hours into the flight, the crew made repeated requests for medical assistance after a male passenger developed ear pain followed by paralysis on the left side of his face, affecting speech and communication.
Mai Duy Ton, director of the stroke center at Bach Mai Hospital, who was on board, responded to the call and examined the passenger.
Based on a clinical assessment, the doctor determined the case was peripheral facial nerve paralysis rather than an acute stroke, the hospital said.
The diagnosis allowed treatment to be administered on board using corticosteroid medication and supported the decision for the flight to continue without diversion.
The doctor provided the medication during the flight and advised the crew to proceed as planned, the hospital said.
Before landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, the passenger’s condition had stabilized with vital signs within safe limits.
Dao Xuan Co, director of Bach Mai Hospital, praised the doctor’s response after receiving a report from France, according to the hospital.
The hospital said the intervention helped ensure passenger safety and reduced pressure on the crew during the incident.
Bao Anh - Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre News