Carrie Fisher: Actress spending Christmas in intensive care following cardiac arrest

Friends and family say there has been 'no change' in star's condition, amid reports she is being kept alive by a ventilator

Carrie Fisher is reportedly spending Christmas in intensive care, after her heart stopped during an 11-hour transatlantic flight.

The Star Wars actress, 60, is reportedly being kept alive by a ventilator in Los Angeles' UCLA Medical Centre, where her daughter, Billie Lourd, friends, and French bulldog, Gary, are keeping watch.

Close friend Patricia King, 69, said her condition had not changed since the actress suffered a major cardiac incident on her way back to Los Angeles from London on Friday.

"My husband is with her at the hospital now but there's been no change as far as I know," Ms King told the MailOnline.

"We just love her so much – we saw her last month and she was so much fun, laughing and lovely. The whole family is praying for her right now – we are really hoping that she's going to be ok."

The star's brother, Todd Fisher, told Variety in a phone interview that there was "no good or bad news" from doctors.

A distress call made by the flight's pilot revealed Fisher was kept alive with CPR administered by a fellow passenger after she stopped breathing for about 10 minutes.

In an audio recording, the pilot can be heard telling air traffic control that at least one nurse was among a group attempting to save the “unresponsive passenger”, who he did not identify.

During the recording, air traffic control said: “United 935 heavy, I need the nature of the medical emergency and also the sex of the patient. Is there a medical personnel at the gate?”

The pilot responded: “Yeah, we've coordinated medical personnel for the gate. We have some passengers, nurses assisting the passenger, we have an unresponsive passenger.

“They’re working on her right now, we’re going to have her seated in about two minutes here and we should hopefully be on the deck in about five.”

The incident occurred about 15 minutes before landing. Paramedics reportedly worked on Ms Fisher for another 15 minutes before they were able to get a pulse.

The actress was travelling home for Christmas, having spent the last few weeks in the UK promoting her new memoir, The Princess Diarist.

United airlines issued a statement on Friday saying Flight 935 from London was met by medical personnel on the runway after a female passenger was reported to be unresponsive.

A spokesperson for police at LAX airport said: “Los Angeles police responded at 12.15pm to Terminal 7 regarding a female victim who went into cardiac arrest.

“Upon arrival, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) was already performing CPR on the victim and the victim was transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment.”

Fisher was 19 years old when she first played the iconic role of Princess Leia.

In addition to acting she has written several books, including the memoir she was promoting in London.

She spoken — and written — in the past about her struggles with drug addiction and poor mental health.