Mystery Surrounds Illness Aboard Flight Bound for LAX

An American Airlines flight from London bound for Los Angeles was forced turn back to Heathrow on Wednesday after a mysterious illness struck the crew and passengers on board, The Telegraph reported.

The aircraft, a Boeing 777 with 188 passengers and crew aboard, was two hours into the flight when several crew members and passengers reported of feeling ill.

One passenger said he saw one crew member fainted.

“It was at that point the captain said he was turning the plane around. He said he wasn’t willing to take the risk to keep going and hadn’t got the crew to do it,” Alan Gray, 41, told the Daily Mail.

American Airlines said the decision to return to London rather than land in nearby Iceland was taken by crew.

Passengers said they were met by emergency medical personnel upon landing at 5:05 p.m. local time and air samples were taken before they were allowed to disembark.

Passengers and crew were evaluated and none required additional care, according to the New York Times.

The cause of the illness still remains a mystery, but the symptoms -- dizziness and loss of consciousness -- have been linked to jet fume leaking into the cabin, according to the Times.

--Photo courtesy of American Airlines