On March 15, a woman died about an hour after takeoff from Hong Kong on a British Airways flight bound for London. More than 300 passengers on Flight BA32 were left onboard with her body for nearly 13 hours, as it was placed in a rear galley. Several passengers later reported a pungent smell spreading through the back of the cabin as the flight continued to London.
Woman Dies On Hong Kong-London British Airways Flight
According to The Economic Times, the deceased woman was in her 60s and she passed away shortly after the British Airways flight took off. With 331 passengers onboard, the Airbus A350-1000 continued its over 13-hour journey to Heathrow Airport London. The body was reportedly placed in a rear galley, where a heated floor is said to have caused a strong odour to spread through parts of the aircraft.
While talking to the media, the British Airways’ spokesperson said, “A customer sadly passed away on board, and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time.”
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Why Was The Plane Not Diverted?
As per eyewitnesses, many passengers urged the crew to turn back to Hong Kong, but the flight continued as planned, eventually landing at its designated destination. According to NDTV, the pilots and crew chose to continue the journey rather than divert or return to Hong Kong, as a passenger’s death is typically not classified as a medical emergency. While the crew initially considered placing the body in a lavatory, the idea was rejected, and it was instead wrapped and moved to a rear galley.
Apparently, the crew overlooked the heated flooring in the rear cabin when making the decision. This resulted in what passengers complained was a “foul smell” in that section. Furthermore, after the flight landed at Heathrow Airport, police boarded the British Airways aircraft and instructed passengers to remain seated. An investigation was carried out for around 45 minutes. During this, the passengers were required to stay in their seats despite the lingering smell.
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The airline ensured that “all procedures were correctly followed” during the unfortunate incident.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons (representative image)
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Are airlines required to make emergency landing in case of mid-air death?
No, airlines are not legally bound to make an emergency landing solely for a confirmed mid-air death.
Are mid-flight deaths common?
While not common, mid-flight deaths do happen with medical emergencies occurring on roughly 1 in every 600 flights.
Did a woman pass away on a British Airways flight recently?
Yes, on March 15, a woman in her 60s died on a Hong Kong-London British Airways flight.