Can I just add the very important caveat that the captain also has to consider his/her duty of care to everybody on board the aircraft, not just the interests of the ill passenger. There are going to be occasions e.g. over Siberia/Northern Canada on a winter's night with perhaps very inclement conditions on the ground, where the safest course of action for the majority of the people on board might be divert to somewhere other than the nearest airport, even if that action delays getting the ill patient on the ground...
Last edited by wiggy; 19th Apr 2011 at 12:42.