24 passengers fall ill eating ‘mouldy’ food

At least 24 became ill after eating “spoiled food” on an international flight with the pilot forced to make an emergency landing.

An international flight from the US to Amsterdam was forced to make an emergency landing in New York City because passengers were served “spoiled food”.

The food on the Delta Air Lines flight was covered in black mould, sources told the New York Post on Wednesday.

At least 24 became ill after eating the mould-laden food aboard the Amsterdam-bound Flight 136, which touched down a little after 3am local time at JFK Airport, sources said.

Air traffic controllers initially told the airport that 70 people were sickened but just two dozen were treated for symptoms by Emergency Medical Services (EMS). No one was hospitalised.

A Delta Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in New York City because passengers were served ‘spoiled food’. Picture: Charly triballeau / AFP

The situation was so severe that the plane, originally from Detroit, turned around and headed to JFK after making it as far east as Newfoundland, flight data showed.

It remains unclear what the contaminated meal was, but Delta confirmed “reports that a portion of the Main Cabin in-flight meal service were spoiled” in a statement.

All 277 of the flight’s passengers were given hotel accommodations for the night and will continue their trip Wednesday evening, sources said.

It was travelling from Detroit before it had to make an emergency landing at JFK Airport. Picture: FlightAware

A passenger named Virginia took to X to insist the accommodations were not enough of a solution.

“I don’t need hotel/food vouchers I need to arrive in Amsterdam today,” Virginia wrote, with Delta responding and asking her to message them privately.

A frustrated passenger took to social media to vent. Picture: X

Virginia later provided an update saying she’d been booked on a new flight for 4.30pm. Thursday.

“Not there yet. 30 hours of travel later, 6am tomorrow. Fingers and toes crossed,” she said.

Delta issued an apology after touchdown.

“This is not the service Delta is known for and we sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience and delay in their travels,” a spokesperson said.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission