Holidaymaker falls ill and dies on easyJet flight from Alicante to Newcastle on New Year’s Day
- Unnamed passenger became unwell on flight from Spain and died yesterday
- Were you on the plane or know the man who tragically died? Email martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk or call 02036151866
A holidaymaker returning from Alicante fell ill and died aboard his flight home on New Year’s Day.
Crew members on an easyJet flight to Newcastle gave the man medical assistance and called for paramedics to meet them when they landed.
However, the passenger had died before they could reach help despite the jet’s pilots managing to shave 15 minutes off the flight time.
A holidaymaker returning from Alicante fell ill and died aboard this easyJet flight home on this plane from Alicante on New Year’s Day
The passenger had died before they could reach help despite the jet’s pilots managing to shave 15 minutes off the flight time.
A spokesman for the airline said: ‘easyJet can confirm that a passenger was taken ill on board flight EZY6418 from Alicante to Newcastle on January 1.
‘Medical assistance was provided to the passenger on board and the crew requested paramedics to attend upon landing to provide further medical assistance however the passenger sadly passed away.
‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the passenger and we are offering support and assistance at this difficult time.
‘The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is our highest priority.’
Passengers falling ill on planes can be common and cabin crew are trained in basic first aid, meaning they will often ask if there is a doctor on board if someone is more seriously ill.
All aircraft must carry a first-aid box as well as an emergency kit of drugs and equipment that can be used only by a doctor or nurse.
Most long-haul airlines have defibrillators on board to revive heart attack victims, which the crew will know how to use.
Expert advice will also be sought from a telemedical centre on the ground.
One of the biggest telemedical centres is the MedLink Global Response Center in Phoenix, Arizona, whose service is used by 76 airlines worldwide including BA and Virgin Atlantic.
It has physicians, communications specialists and support staff who, it claims, can converse in 140 languages with staff in the air.
MedLink pinpoints the nearest airport with a hospital close by in case the pilot needs to divert the plane to access life-saving treatment. Some parts of the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa and the former Soviet Union, have airfields but few medical facilities.