A Qantas flight from Chile to Australia on Thursday resulted in 26 ill passengers, 16 of whom required hospitalisation after touch down in Sydney. Ambulances and paramedics met the plane to transport the ill passengers, who are claiming to have fallen ill during the flight.

But according to Qantas, the passengers who fell ill belonged to the same tour group and it is believed that the stomach bug was contracted before they boarded the flight.

Reports state that the ill passengers were Australian high school students returning home after attending World Youth Day in Brazil.

The passengers were treated in quarantine.

The state Health Ministry said that the affected passengers displayed symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, symptoms which are in line with a norovirus infection.

Luke Enright, Qantas spokesperson said:

They’ve known for some time in the air that sickness was aboard so they were able to call through and organize for the appropriate authorities to greet the aircraft at the arrival, and those passengers were quarantined.

Other passengers on that flight were told to watch their health over the next two days, and if symptoms occurred to get medical assistance.

[Source: The Washington Post]