Holiday Flight Turns Tragic as Crew Member Dies

(Daily360.com) – Passengers aboard a British Airways (BA) New Year’s Eve flight saw it cancelled when a crew member died just prior to take off. The doors had been shut and sealed and the airplane was getting ready to depart when a 52-year-old flight attendant collapsed in front of several expectant flyers. As soon as he got word, the pilot asked any passengers with medical knowledge to offer assistance.

A passenger with first aid experience tried to help to the unconscious flight attendant as they awaited first responders. Eventually, support did arrive but were unable to help the fallen man and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The London to Hong Kong flight was delayed and eventually cancelled due to the tragedy.

British Airways issued a statement expressing their concerns and well wishes for the crew member, his family and his BA colleagues. This death follows the death of another 52-year-old BA employee from December 23rd. That person was also a flight attendant; he was found dead in his hotel room after failing to show up for his flight assignment. Colleagues and fellow crew members are reported to be “frantic” following the inexplicable deaths of these two men.

Both men were reported to have been in very good physical condition with no past incidents or history of health issues. BA employees describe themselves as being in “shock and disbelief.” The airline issued a further statement saying that their thoughts are with the families of both men at this “incredibly sad time.”

In other harrowing aviation events, last Friday an Alaska Airlines flight avoided what could have been a devastating situation and came out of it relatively unscathed after a piece of the fuselage blew off and an entire door was ripped from the aircraft. The airplane was climbing just after takeoff in Portland, Oregon headed to Ontario, California when suddenly the door became compromised and ripped out causing the plane to depressurize. Thankfully, the seats next to the door were empty, that stroke of luck is likely why the airplane was able to turn around and land without anyone being seriously injured.