OFF COURSE

Hundreds of United Passengers Stranded on Snowy Island for Days

The Boeing 777 flight to Dublin took off from Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday—and didn’t land in Ireland until Sunday.

A United Airlines flight from the U.S. to Ireland had to turn back three hours into the journey because of a medical emergency, meaning hundreds of passengers and crew were stranded in Canada for days.

The Boeing 777 destined for Dublin took off from Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday but didn’t make it to the Irish capital until Sunday. Twelve crew and 259 passengers, including America’s top Catholic, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, were rerouted to St. John’s International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada.

While the ill passenger was whisked off to a hospital, Dolan and co. were stranded without their baggage, due to staffing issues meaning it couldn’t be accessed. The plot thickened when inclement weather conditions meant it was unsafe to fly until Sunday.

But in the interim, the archbishop made the most of the hand he was dealt and even said Mass in a local church. “We left Newark, New Jersey, Thursday on our way to Dublin... and we ended up here with you and we’re still. We are unable to get out due to inclement weather,” Dolan said Saturday during Mass at the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

He later thanked the people of Newfoundland for their hospitality. “Thank you to the gracious people of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s, Newfoundland, who took me in after my flight to Ireland was grounded,” the 75-year-old said on X.

“It was my joy to offer Mass in the cathedral that it’s said inspired Archbishop John Joseph Hughes to build @StPatsNYC,” he wrote, referring to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

“While high winds kept the aircraft grounded, we provided hotel accommodation and meal vouchers for our customers,” United said in a statement shared with Mail Online.

“With the weather improved, the flight departed Sunday morning from St. John’s to Dublin and arrived at 4:18pm (local time).”

The St. John’s airport welcomes rerouted flights from time to time, as it’s on a flight path over the Atlantic. It is also not unusual for passengers to get stranded for a time due to the weather.

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Leigh KimminsReporter

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