A 73-year-old woman, initially believed to be sleeping throughout the flight from London to Nice, France, was discovered to have passed away after the plane touched down on Thursday, September 21.
The woman remained motionless as others gathered their belongings, causing concern among fellow travelers. Her unresponsiveness led to the alarm being raised with the flight crew, who promptly called for emergency medical services.
Despite the efforts of paramedics, the passenger could not be revived and was declared dead at 10 p.m. The exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but suspicions point towards a heart attack that she might have suffered mid-air.
British Airways confirmed the incident, stating that a customer died during the flight. While uncommon, death during air travel occurs due to various medical complications. Guidelines are in place for flight crews to manage such situations, ensuring dignity for the deceased and minimal disturbance to other passengers.
Earlier in June, a young British man from London to New York succumbed to an asthma attack, having dropped his inhaler during a crucial moment, rendering the crew’s life-saving attempts futile.