What would you do if the passenger next to you began vomiting? (Photo: Thinkstock)

It was the movie “Airplane!” come to life.

Sixteen people, fourteen passengers and two crew members, simultaneously began vomiting on a U.S. Airways plane from Israel to Philadelphia on Friday, forcing the pilot to make an emergency stop in Rome.

Various news reports identified a foul odor in the cabin, which caused the domino effect of illness.

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"The aircraft landed safely and all passengers were placed on other flights," airline spokeswoman Martha Thomas told NBC News. The afflicted passengers were rushed to the closest hospital. An AFP report said the sick passengers suffered from both red eyes and nausea.

The cause of the odor remains under investigation.

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