Tragedy at Mitchell Intl. Airport after flights are diverted from Chicago


CHICAGO (AP/WITI) — Smoke in a regional radar facility forced a halt to all incoming and outgoing flights at both of Chicago's airports on Tuesday, May 13th. More than a dozen flights were diverted to Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport. We have learned that one of the passengers on board a diverted flight died at Mitchell Airport Tuesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration says all of its personnel were evacuated from the Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control, or TRACON, facility in suburban Elgin at around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

A ground stop was in effect for all flights in and out of O'Hare and Midway airports.

Harold Mester with General Mitchell Airport told FOX6 News that operations at the airport were occurring as normal Tuesday -- with the exception of flights scheduled to be departing for O'Hare Airport -- and the flights being diverted to Mitchell International.

We're told 20 flights were diverted to Milwaukee.

Some passengers were bused by their airline to Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports.

Inbound flights already in the air over the area were handled by a backup facility in the city of Aurora.

Some passengers told FOX6 News they circled in the air for about 40 minutes -- after finding out they weren't headed for Chicago.

"They said 'we've got enough fuel. We can be up here for 45 minutes.' I've been up since 4am eastern time. We didn't land and they brought us to Milwaukee.  There's nothing bad about Milwaukee, but it wasn't in my plans and I am just a little bit crabby," Lauren Wolf said.

"It is frustrating. Every time I try to get in and out of O'Hare, it's nothing but trouble. Planes, trains and buses -- that's what this is. It's ridiculous," Tom Wingate said.

"I'm frustrated, but it's just so silly. I'm just glad we're safe," Lindsay Nance said.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office says it responded to a death that occurred at the airport on Tuesday.

We’re told an elderly man was exiting a Southwest Airlines airplane that was diverted from Chicago — and the man was witnessed losing his pulse and not being able to breathe.

Paramedics responded -- but the man died.

The Medical Examiner’s Office is investigating.