French jet placed in quarantine after passengers develop symptoms of swine flu and crew discover they had all recently been to Asia

Some 47 passengers started coughing and spluttering while others developed a fever

Sixteen were taken to hospital for further testing but found to be suffering only a simple flu and were discharged today



A plane full of passengers on a French runway has been quarantined after many developed swine flu-like symptoms.

During the flight, 47 passengers started coughing and spluttering while others developed signs of a fever, local media reported.



As flight attendants questioned passenger, it emerged that many were returning from Asia.

Flu on a plane: A plane full of passengers returning from Asia were quarantined on the runway at Blagnac Airport near Toulouse after 47 started coughing and spluttering and other developed fever-like symptoms (file picture)

The plane operated by Hop, the budget subsidiary of Air France, landed at Blagnac Airport near Toulouse, authorities decided to take precautions and quarantine everyone in their plane seats according to The Local.

Many of the passengers were returning from a trip to Bangkok, Thailand and flown via Dubai.

Paramedics examined each passenger which took several hours before allowing all but 16 to continue their onward journey.

The remaining 16 people were taken to the infectious diseases department at Purpan Hospital where further testing were carried out and found to be suffering just the simple flu and were discharged from hospital according to France TV.



Earlier this year, research into three bird flu victims in China found that a vicious new strain has the potential to pass more easily into humans and remain undetected until it is at an advanced stage.

The research into three people, all of whom died, showed the disease causes pneumonia, septic shock, brain damage and multi-organ failure.



For further testing: The onboard quarantining took several hours and 16 passengers were taken to the infectious diseases department at Purpan Hospital (pictured) to determine whether they do in fact have swine flu

It came as officials in a region of China culled chickens in a bid to stop the spread of a new strain of bird flu which has claimed at least 11 lives.

In 2009 swine flu emerged in France, prompting authorities to launch a mass vaccination campaign.

A British school trip to France ended with a group of frightened children being placed in quarantine, then trapped on their coaches for hours while they were escorted home by French police, after four girls were diagnosed with swine flu.

The group of 96 had to endure an exhausting 215-mile journey to Calais, without stops, after zealous French authorities insisted they return to Britain using the Channel Tunnel rather than the ferry at Cherbourg.

The authorities forced everyone to wear face masks and even made those suffering from flu to close the coach curtains so they did not ‘disturb’ other road users.