A WOMAN HAS died in hospital in Ireland after the transatlantic flight on which she was travelling diverted to Shannon Airport early yesterday morning. 

German media outlet Bild named the woman as Karin Strenz, a member of the German federal parliament. 

She was travelling on a flight from Cuba to Germany when she suddenly fell ill. She is understood to have been travelling with her husband at the time.

Condor flight DE-199 was en route from Varadero in Cuba to Frankfurt, Germany when the crew declared a medical emergency while the flight was still west of Ireland.

The crew reported they had a female passenger on board who had fallen ill.

They requested cleared to divert to Shannon Airport asking that emergency medical services be on standby for their arrival.

It’s understood the woman suffered a possible ‘cardiac incident’.

The Boeing 767-300 jet landed safely in Shannon at 7.36am and was met at the terminal by airport personnel, National Ambulance Service paramedics and gardaí.

Strenz was treated at the airport before being rushed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick where she later died.

A post mortem examination is expected to be carried out while a coroner’s inquest will be held at a later date.

The flight later continued to Frankfurt.