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Rapper Vanilla Ice Quarantined On Emirates Flight Stuck At JFK Airport
Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, tweeted during the ordeal from his window seat.
Rapper Vanilla Ice was among the dozens of reportedly sick passengers that were stopped at JFK airport for several hours while officials collaborated with authorities and those on the aircraft listened for instructions and updates on the situation.
Real name Robert Van Winkle, the “Ice Ice Baby” MC tweeted from his seat while Emirates Flight 203 sat on runway at Terminal 4, NBC New York reports. The plane, which flew to New York from Dubai, landed around 9:10 a.m. and was immediately greeted by a swarm of emergency personnel.
“So I just landed from Dubai and now there is like tons of ambulances and fire trucks and police all over the place,” he wrote, including a video shot from his window seat. Apparently learning from the outside world what exactly was unfolding, the rapper posted a link to a news story about the quarantine a few hours later, along with another tweet commenting on the “crazy” situation.
In actuality, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Port Authority police were deployed to the plane, according to CBS New York. While Emirates Airline posted a statement Wednesday morning claiming roughly 10 people on the plane felt ill, other reports said as many as 100 passengers were sick.
Eventually, only 19 people were confirmed to be ill, according to the office of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, which also said that 10 people were taken to the hospital, while nine others declined medical attention. All others, including Vanilla Ice, safely exited.
“All the passengers are off and have been evaluated. 19 sick. 10 to hospital and 9 refused medical attention,” mayor’s office spokesman Eric Phillips tweeted. “Health officials are processing tests now to determine the cause. Symptoms still pointing to the flu.”
The CDC, meanwhile, said that those passengers who were sick would not be able to continue traveling as planned, according to NBC New York.
Emirates ultimately issued an apology, tweeting, “We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience caused. The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is always our top priority.”
[Photo Credit: Getty]
