Air India flight passenger travelling from New York dies at Mumbai airport

An 80-year-old passenger flying with Air India from New York suffered a coronary heart assault and collapsed at Mumbai airport and later handed away at a hospital after strolling roughly 1.5 kilometres from the airplane to the immigration counter resulting from a wheelchair scarcity. The incident occurred on February 12.

The deceased passenger was of Indian origin and was travelling along with his spouse on flight AI-116 from New York to Mumbai. As per a Occasions of India report, the couple had pre-booked wheelchair help. Nonetheless, resulting from scarcity, solely his spouse might get the wheelchair. The 80-year-old opted to stroll alongside along with his spouse and as they reached the immigration counter he reportedly suffered a coronary heart assault.

Talking on wheelchair scarcity, an airport supply advised TOI, “There have been 32 wheelchair passengers on this flight, however solely 15 wheelchairs with accompanying workers on floor ready to assist them.”

On February 16, the airline issued a press release on this incident. The Air India spokesperson stated that resulting from heavy demand for wheelchairs, that they had requested the passenger to attend until wheelchair help was supplied. Nonetheless, he opted to stroll alongside along with his partner.

Within the assertion, the spokesperson stated, “One in every of our visitors flying from New York to Mumbai on twelfth February fell sick whereas continuing to clear immigration along with his spouse, who was in a wheelchair. Because of heavy demand for wheelchairs, we had requested the passenger to attend until he was additionally supplied with wheelchair help however he opted to stroll alongside along with his partner. As suggested by the airport physician attending to him after taking sick, the passenger was instantly rushed to the hospital, the place he was declared to have handed away.”