Sunday 12 July 2015

India: Man Falls Ill on Air India Flight Prior to Takeoff, Later Dies



Tragedy struck Saturday on an Air India flight due to take off from New Delhi and land in Mumbai. As the flight proceeded to takeoff a passenger suddenly took ill, and later died according to the Khaleej Times via the IANS.

A Mumbai-based Air India official told the IANS that around 10 a.m., a co-passenger let crewmembers know the individual was in distress. This information compelled the pilot to push Flight AI 887 back from the runway.

IANS reported that airport doctors, who recommended further tests at a hospital, gave the sick man urgent medical care. He never got there, passing away en route.

Details about the passenger — age, illness, and hometown — were not revealed. The flight eventually left for Mumbai at 11:40 a.m.

According to a translated News Track Network story, the man was in poor health before the flight.

It is unknown if the aircraft was carrying such lifesaving equipment as a defibrillator, which may have been put to use if the individual had taken ill in the air. Whether or not these supplies were on board did not become an issue in this case, because the plane never left the ground, but given just a few more minutes, it would have.

Having such medical gear is not a rule, but as seen in an article written by TravelPulse’s Patrick Clarke, there is a movement to make it mandatory for lifesaving equipment to be on all commercial aircraft.

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