Passengers hit by serious stomach bug on 13-hour Qantas flight

A 13-hour flight turned into an ordeal for 26 passengers after they were struck down with a severe stomach bug mid-air.

The group of Australian teenagers and their teachers fell ill with gastroenteritis on the Qantas trip from Santiago in Chile to Sydney shortly after take-off.

Suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting, they had to be monitored for dehydration through the flight.

When they finally arrived yesterday, they were met by a team of paramedics.

Sixteen people had to be taken to hospital by ambulance and three were so ill they had to be stretchered off the plane.

A Qantas spokesman said: “It is believed the illness was contracted before boarding the aircraft and symptoms became evident during the flight.”