Craig MacLean , 22 ( pictured ) , was on a flight from Scotland to Abu Dhabi when stewards appealed for a doctor after a passenger suffered a cardiac arrest . A medical student has been hailed a hero after saving the life of a fellow passenger on an airliner at 36,000ft . Craig MacLean , 22 , was on a KLM flight to Abu Dhabi when stewards appealed for a doctor after a man suffered a cardiac arrest . Although he told staff he was not yet fully qualified to treat patients , Mr MacLean was ushered towards the unconscious passenger . Despite his inexperience , the Dundee University student started trying to revive the man , then called for the defibrillator kit carried on board to restart the man ’ s heart . The flight was diverted to Ankara , in Turkey , where it was struck by lightning as it made an emergency landing . However , the man was safely handed to medical crews . Mr MacLean , who jetted back to Scotland yesterday from Abu Dhabi , then used the plane ’ s public address system to let passengers know what had happened . He said that after answering the appeal for help he told a steward : ‘ I ’ m just a student . Before I could finish , she said , “ Come with me ” . ‘ There was a man in his 50s with vomit coming from his nose and mouth who was unconscious . ‘ He was completely unresponsive , so I called for help and we got him on to the floor in the aisle – he was a big man . ‘ I assessed him and discovered he was not breathing and had no pulse . A major alarm bell goes off – this is a cardiac arrest . I need to act now , and quickly , or this man will die . I started CPR , called for the defibrillator and asked for an immediate emergency landing . ‘ I continued CPR and they brought me medical equipment , at which time a Dutch nurse came to take over CPR . ' I was then able to apply the pads and shock the man . I got his heart beating properly again and he started breathing. ’ Mr MacLean , who is from Glasgow and was attending a conference on the health problems caused by tobacco , said that , following the handover of his patient , ‘ the last update I got was on landing , at which I was relieved to hear he was alive ’ . The Dundee University student started trying to revive the man , then called for the defibrillator kit carried on board to restart the man ’ s heart . Mr MacLean later took to Twitter to tell his followers about the heroic act . Mr MacLean , who is from Glasgow ( pictured with First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon ) , told crew he told staff he was just a medical student and not yet fully qualified to treat patients but was still asked to help out . The incident unfolded on a KLM flight from Scotland to Abu Dhabi , which had to divert to Turkey ( file picture ) Mr MacLean later tweeted : ‘ Not every day you have to ask for an emergency landing and get ROSC [ return of spontaneous circulation ] at 36,000ft. ’ SNP Glasgow Cathcart MSP James Dornan , who knows Mr MacLean , lodged a motion at Holyrood marking his intervention , saying he is a ‘ credit to his family , to his tutors who have clearly taught him very well and to Scotland ' . He added : ‘ Craig may say that he was just being professional – but it is clear he is a hero . ’
Mr MacLean , 22 , was on flight to Abu Dhabi when staff called for doctor . The medical student stepped in to help when man suffered a cardiac arrest . Dundee University student started trying to revive the passenger at 36,000ft . KLM flight from Scotland diverted to Turkey and man received medical care .