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A man died onboard an Aer Lingus flight this evening, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.

Flight EI 485 was travelling from Lisbon, Portugal, to Dublin, when it is understood a passenger onboard “ran amok”, apparently “biting” one of his fellow passengers.

Reports claim the man began “biting another passenger” and was later restrained by crew after becoming “extremely violent”.

It is understood the man later became unwell after being restrained and fell into a state of unconsciousness, before being pronounced dead on the Dublin-bound flight.

Crew broadcast an emergency ‘Pan Pan’ message three times in quick succession and advised air traffic controllers of an incident on board the Airbus A320-200.

The crew had been in contact with controllers at the Irish Aviation Authority’s North Atlantic Communications Service centre at Ballygirreen before landing at Cork airport at around 5.40pm.

The pilot informed controllers of the situation on board and requested clearance to divert and land at the airport after the man started to become “extremely violent”.

He told controllers that there was a passenger “running amok” and that he had “injured one or two passengers”.

It is also understood there was a doctor on board who tried to assist the restrained passenger.

While nearing Cork airport, the crew informed controllers there was a doctor on board treating “a gentleman”, but said the man in question no longer had a pulse.

(Image: RTE)

All 168 passengers and six crew members were moved off the plane and into the airport.

Airport paramedics and a HSE ambulance responded to the scene after the captain declared the incident a medical emergency mid-flight.

It is also understood a second man was injured during a biting incident, as he tried to help the deceased.

The injured man was taken to hospital following the emergency landing.

Reports tonight said Gardai were at the airport investigating the incident and speaking to some of the passengers about what happened in the cabin.

The deceased was travelling alone and it is not believed he was Irish, but may have been studying in the country.

Aer Lingus last night issued a statement about the incident saying the plane was forced to land due to a “medical emergency on board”.

They said: “Aer Lingus flight EI 485 Lisbon to Dublin, diverted into Cork due to a medical emergency on board.

“There were 168 guests and six crew members on board. The flight landed safely at 17.40 local time.”

All other flights to and from Aer Lingus were believed to be running on time this evening.