Five children were expected to be discharged from hospital last night after they became ill on a repatriation flight from Lebanon to the US that had made a technical stop at Shannon in early yesterday morning.
The flight, which had earlier evacuated American-Lebanese families from the growing crisis in Lebanon, landed at Shannon to refuel before continuing to the US. During that stopover, the crew sought medical attention for several passengers.
A number of the passengers were treated at the airport by doctors and ambulance crews before 11 mothers and children were taken by three ambulances to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, where the children received further treatment for dehydration.
Five children were detained for observation overnight but were expected to be discharged from hospital last night.
A spokesman for the Health Service Executive (Mid-Western Area) confirmed last night that the five children had been treated in Limerick hospital's paediatric unit. The US embassy in Dublin also confirmed that the children had been treated.
The American aircraft, carrying families who were forced to flee their homes in Lebanon, landed at Shannon at about 8.15pm having travelled from Syria via Cyprus.
Like Ireland and many other countries, the US has sent aircraft to Lebanon and Syria to repatriate citizens caught up in the Middle East crisis.
Other passengers on the flight were also examined by medics at the airport but did not require medical attention.
As the sick children and their mothers were taken to hospital, their flight prepared for take off but suffered difficulties with one of its engines. The aircraft returned to the terminal building, further delaying its departure.
Passengers were accommodated in local hotels overnight and the aircraft is expected to continue its journey today.