UPDATE: Carrie Fisher has passed away, days after suffering a heart attack on a transatlantic flight on Thursday, 23 December. Family spokesperson Simon Halls confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter. More details will follow as the news becomes available.
ORIGINAL STORY:The 60-year-old actress, who had been promoting her new book The Princess Diarist in the UK, "stopped breathing" while travelling from London to Los Angeles, according to a fellow passenger. The Los Angeles Times reported the actress suffered a "cardiac episode" and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, citing emergency officials.
The United Airlines flight touched down in Los Angeles at noon and paramedics rushed on board. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed, “Medical personnel met United flight 935 from London to Los Angeles upon arrival today after the crew reported that a passenger was unresponsive.
“Our thoughts are with our customer at this time and any requests for additional information should be directed to local authorities.”
A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman confirmed to Reuters that emergency medical personnel met an arriving flight at the airport to treat a patient in "cardiac arrest," rendering "immediate advanced life support" to the patient before the individual was taken to a hospital.
But the spokesman, Erik Scott, did not release any details regarding the patient's identity, age or sex, citing medical confidentiality laws.
Shortly after the flight landed, fellow passenger, YouTube performer Anna Akana took to Twitter. "Don’t know how else to process this but Carrie Fisher stopped breathing on the flight home," she wrote. "Hope she’s gonna be OK. So many thanks to the United flight crew who jumped into action, and the awesome doctor and nurse passengers who helped.”
Comedian Brad Gage added, "I'm in complete shock. @AnnaAkana and I sat in front of Carrie Fisher on our flight from London and she was just taken off the plane by EMTs."
As news of Ms Fisher's plight broke herStar Wars costars took to Twitter to send her their support and love. "As if 2016 couldn't get any worse....sending all our love to @carrieffisher," wrote Mark Hamill.
"Thoughts and prayers for our friend and everyone's favorite princess right now. .@carrieffisher," added Peter Mayhew.
HELLO! has contacted Ms Fisher's representatives for further details.