diverted to the Island last night.

A charter flight carrying 261 passengers and nine crew landed shortly after 8 p.m., after the co-pilot took ill.

The widebody Boeing 767 was enroute from the Dominican Republic to Frankfurt, Germany when the incident happened.

And Airport officials worked hard into the night to arrange accommodation for the passengers at the Marriott Castle Harbour and Grotto Bay hotels.

Marriott was expected to take most of the people, having many rooms available.

Bermuda Hosts transported the people to the hotels for the night, completing the operation within a couple of hours of the aircraft touching down.

Meanwhile the charter company, LTU, was making alternative flight plans and was expected to fly in a replacement first officer early today, possibly from the US.

The flight was due to take off again around 9 a.m. today if all went to plan.

The ill first officer, who was vomiting, was transferred to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment. His condition was not known but he is not thought to be seriously ill.

The diversion was the latest in many emergency landings at the airport. In recent months the Island's strategic location and the dedication of airport staff have proved a blessing to aircraft with mechanical troubles or ill passengers.