On Monday, an IndiGo Airlines flight from Delhi to Doha was forced to make an emergency landing at Karachi airport in Pakistan after a Nigerian passenger on board passed away. The 60-year-old passenger, identified as Abdullah, was reported by the pilot to have “no pulse” and “was not breathing”. Upon receiving the distress call from the pilot, Karachi Air Traffic Control cleared the Indian airline’s plane for landing at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
There are no direct flights between India and Pakistan due to the tense relationship between the two nations, which have fought three wars since 1947 when India was partitioned on independence and Pakistan was created.
After the plane landed, officials from the Civil Aviation Authority and doctors from the Federal Ministry of Health attended to the passenger’s remains and issued a death certificate. The airline stated that they are making arrangements for transferring other passengers on the flight.
IndiGo Airlines is an Indian low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. The airline was founded as a private company by Rahul Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises and Rakesh Gangwal in 2006. It took delivery of its first aircraft in July 2006 and commenced operations a month later. The airline is currently the largest airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size.
In a statement, the airline expressed their condolences to the deceased passenger’s family and loved ones, stating that they were “deeply saddened by the news”. Medical emergencies on board airplanes are not uncommon, and airlines are required to have trained medical personnel on board to handle such situations. However, in some cases, emergency landings may be required to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
The incident highlights the importance of having trained medical personnel on board flights to handle medical emergencies, especially on long-haul flights. While airlines take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of their passengers, unexpected incidents such as this one can occur.
It is important for passengers to remain calm and follow the instructions of the crew in such situations.
The emergency landing of an IndiGo Airlines flight in Pakistan due to a medical emergency on board serves as a reminder of the importance of having trained medical personnel on board flights. The incident is a tragedy, and our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and loved ones of the deceased passenger.
