AI's flight diverted after medical emergency

An airline spokesperson said a passenger on the flight had suffered a heart problem.

A San Francisco-bound Air India flight from Delhi was diverted to Sapporo in Japan after a medical emergency onboard, the airline said on Monday.

An airline spokesperson said a passenger on the flight had suffered a heart problem and that an update on the passenger's health status would be available once the plane landed in the Japanese city.

"Air India Flt AI 173 Delhi to San Francisco diverted to SPK due to a medical emergency," the airline posted on Twitter.

The plane took off from New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport here at 4.30 am and was scheduled to land at the San Francisco International Airport at 6 am local time.

It had to turn back towards Sapporo, after it had flown past Japan.