Woman dies on Qantas flight as police called to 'sudden death' (original) (raw)

Emergency services rushed to the scene

A woman has died on a 17-hour flight, the airline has confirmed. Emergency services were called after the Qantas plane landed in New Zealand from New York.

On Tuesday, investigations into the woman’s death were being carried out on behalf of the coroner. A spokesperson for Qantas has since confirmed the tragic death on the long-haul flight. “Urgent assistance was provided by crew and doctors onboard but sadly they passed away,” the spokesperson said.

“In line with standard procedure, emergency services met the aircraft as part of the response", the statement added.

The spokesperson also offered the airline’s condolences to the woman’s friends and family, reports The Express.

Deaths on flights are very rare, according to a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, cited by the BBC.

Most airlines follow guidance from the International Air Transport Association on procedures to follow if a passenger dies during a flight.

The guidance states when a passenger is presumed to have died, their eyes should be closed and their body placed in a body bag, if one is available.

If no body bag is available, the body should be covered with a blanket up to the neck. It should also be moved, if possible, to a seat or area away from other passengers.

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