• Germany edition
Photo: DPA

Munich flight grounded as Japanese tourists fall violently ill

Published: 21 Mar 10 13:12 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100321-26019.html

The takeoff of a Munich flight to Tokyo was aborted after two dozen Japanese tourists on board fell ill with violent stomach cramps, the police said on Sunday.

The Lufthansa Airbus A340 carrying some 300 passengers returned to the airport terminal shortly before takeoff on Saturday afternoon after the tourists complained of stomach pains and nausea, the authorities said.

The 23 people stricken by the mystery illness, part of a group of some 80 tourists on an organised trip to Europe, were taken to nearby hospitals. The victims also complained of vertigo, vomiting and circulation problems, according to doctors, though their lives were not thought to be in danger, said the police statement.

Doctors were still trying to ascertain what had caused the sickness, said police.

The rest of the group, 57 tourists, were taken to hotels and placed under medical supervision as a precaution, even though they showed no immediate symptoms. The group had just completed a two-day stay in Munich after having visited London.

The remaining passengers on the flight were able to make the trip to Tokyo later with another plane.

AFP/DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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Your comments about this article:

14:56 March 21, 2010 by William Thirteen
sounds like an attack of Koro...
15:12 March 21, 2010 by Celeon
They fell victim to the biggest threat luring aboard any commercial airliner.... the economy class food. :-D

I never touch that stuff. It tastes like plastic.
20:08 March 21, 2010 by dbert4
I think it was the bad whale meat that they ate during the JAL flight on the way over.
23:59 March 21, 2010 by whatzup
May its a severe case of Porpoise Revenge? If that doesn't get them the tuna might.
08:48 March 22, 2010 by Edmond Schindler
Wonder if anyone prepared "wild" mushrooms before they arrived at the airport.

In my home town we had a large Japanese tour-group stop and pick mushrooms while out walking a forest. Next morning the entire group was found dead in their beds.

They had prepared the fungus the night before and all had consumed them. I guess they thought they knew enough about mushrooms that they wouldn't need to consult locals about the varieties found along the coastal Redwoods in Northern California. It was a large group too, over 30 souls, poor things.
15:23 March 24, 2010 by dbert4
"Apparently a Noro-Virus was the culprit."

Does that come from eating all sea dwelling mammals or only endangered sea dwelling mammals?
16:41 March 24, 2010 by Legal E
Eco food taste like plastic? Sounds like somene is eating the wrapper not what is in it.. I fly around 100,000 miles a year and Eco food is not too bad at at.
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