Legal protocols stipulate that passengers can only be confirmed deceased by local authorities upon landing, even if an “apparent death in-flight” occurs.
A 60-year-old woman died onboard a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Sydney, the national carrier confirmed, according to reports.
The woman, travelling on Qatar Airways flight QR908, was discovered in an unresponsive condition approximately midway through the 14-hour journey to Australia.
Despite the crew’s attempts to administer CPR and deploy a defibrillator, she could not be resuscitated.
“Regrettably, the lady could not be revived,” said a Qatar Airways spokesperson. “Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”
Under aviation regulations, flight attendants are obligated to provide emergency medical care if a passenger falls ill. Given the constraints of an aircraft’s confined space, medical procedures like CPR are often carried out in the aisle or galley, in full view of other passengers.
In situations where medical interventions prove futile, the body is generally moved to an unoccupied row or business class section where it is covered.
Legal protocols stipulate that passengers can only be confirmed deceased by local authorities upon landing, even if an “apparent death in-flight” occurs.
The woman’s official declaration of death was made when the the plane touched down in Sydney on Friday afternoon.
The incident comes at a delicate juncture as Australian authorities are in the process of consulting with Qatari officials on a contentious issue pertaining to the rejection of additional Qatar Airways into the country.
The decision by Australian authorities has rocked the aviation industry across the country with calls for clarification on why it was made.
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