Woman on Mumbai-Varanasi flight falls ill onboard, dies later; family alleges negligence

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Varanasi: A 24 year-old woman travelling in a SpiceJet plane from Mumbai to Varanasi died today after she fell ill onboard, with her husband alleging negligence on the part of the flight attendants.

Sangeeta, a resident of Shivpur area in Varanasi, boarded the plane from Mumbai this morning along with her husband Rajesh and their daughter, Phoolpur SHO Brijesh Mishra said. The airline said the woman had complained of breathlessness onboard and given medical attention. As soon the plane landed at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi, the woman was rushed to a hospital in an ambulance, where doctors declared her brought dead, the SHO said.

Mishra, however, said that it is still not clear whether the woman died onboard or while being taken to hospital in the ambulance. Whereas, Rajesh, who works at a glass manufacturing unit in Mumbai, alleged that the flight attendant did not extend immediate medical help and she could not put on the mask during the journey. He also claimed that she felt unwell an hour after the plane took off from Mumbai and soon collapsed.
He has filed a complaint alleging negligence on the part of flight, saying the attendants did not extend necessary medical help at the time of emergency.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said, "A passenger travelling on board SG 704 from Mumbai to Varanasi complained of breathlessness. The passenger was attended to by a doctor onboard and assisted by SpiceJet cabin crew. She was provided all necessary medical assistance. The Captain informed ATC and requested for medical assistance on landing". He said the woman, who was still alive, was attended to by the Varanasi Airport Medical officer after landing. Due to limited medical infrastructure at the airport, she was referred to Primary Health Center in Basani after providing all available medical help.

The spokesman said Sangeeta was accompanied by the airline staff and her family to the health center, where the doctors declared her "brought dead". The body has been sent for post-mortem and the cause of death would only be ascertained after the autopsy report, Mishra said, adding investigation is underway.