Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher 'goes into cardiac arrest' on flight to Los Angeles

Star is said to be in a critical condition in intensive care

The Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher has suffered a major cardiac episode on a flight from London to Los Angeles.

Fisher's flight arrived at LAX at around midday on Friday, and she was rushed to hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

A source told the Los Angeles Times that the actress was “in a lot of distress on the flight”.

Her brother Todd Fisher said she was in a critical condition in intensive care, although he also said she was stable and "out of emergency".

The entertainment news outlet TMZ reported she had suffered a heart attack rather than a cardiac arrest, and said she received 15 minutes of CPR before the plane landed.

United, the airline, issued a statement saying Flight 935 from London was met by medical personnel after a female passenger was reported to be unresponsive.

“Our thoughts are with our customer at this time,” the statement read.

An unnamed law enforcement official told NBC Los Angeles that Fisher had suffered a heart attack, and that her condition was "not good".

A recording of the conversation between the pilot and air traffic controllers was released.

An air traffic controller told the pilot: "United 935, I need the nature of your medical emergency, and also the sex of the patient and if there is medical personnel at the gate."

The pilot responded: "Yea, we've coordinated medical personnel for the gate, we have some passengers, nurses, assisting the ... unresponsive passenger.

"So they're working on her right now, we're going to have them seated in about two minutes and we should hopefully be on the deck in about five."

A spokeswoman 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 LAFD (Los Angeles Fire Department) was already performing CPR on the victim and the victim was transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment."

Fisher, 60, rose to fame as Princess Leia in the original episodes of the Star Wars film franchise, a role she reprised in 2015's The Force Awakens.

The actors Anna Akana and Brad Gage wrote on Twitter that they were sat on the same plane as Fisher when the incident occurred.

Akana wrote: "Don't know how else to process this but Carrie Fisher stopped breathing on the flight home. Hope she's gonna be OK.

"So many thanks to the United flight crew who jumped into action, and the awesome doctor and nurse passengers who helped."

Gage wrote: "I'm in complete shock. Anna Akana and I sat in front of Carrie Fisher on our flight from London and she was just taken off the plane by EMTs.

"I don't know what happened. Not really sure what to do right now but I hope she is ok. I hope she is ok."

Fisher had been on tour promoting a new memoir. No representatives for the performer were immediately available for comment, nor were city fire department officials.

Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the original films, wrote on Twitter: "As if 2016 couldn't get any worse ... sending all our love to Carrie Fisher."

Other celebrities also wished Fisher well.

Talk show host Graham Norton tweeted: "Don't even think about it!! This planet needs you on it! Sending so much love xxx."

American actor Orlando Jones tweeted: "No more, 2016! You got Prince, now don't be thinking you get Carrie Fisher, too. £ThoughtsAndPrayers £HangInThereCarrie."

Singer Bette Midler wished her a speedy recovery, adding on Twitter that Fisher was "quick witted, hilarious on paper and in person, and just plain beloved".

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report