CHENNAI: A 60-year-old Mauritian passenger died of a suspected cardiac arrest mid-air on an Air Mauritius flight bound for Chennai, prompting the aircraft to make an early landing at Chennai International Airport on Tuesday.
The deceased, identified as Krishna, was travelling with his wife to Chennai for treatment for blood cancer at a private hospital.
The Air Mauritius flight, carrying 286 passengers, had departed from Mauritius the previous night and was scheduled to land in Chennai at 6.20 am. However, the aircraft was given priority clearance and landed around 6 am after the medical emergency was reported.
According to sources, Krishna developed severe breathlessness during the flight in the early hours. His wife raised an alarm, following which the cabin crew alerted the pilot and sought assistance from doctors onboard. Despite immediate first aid, he lost consciousness.
The pilot informed Chennai Air Traffic Control (ATC) and requested medical assistance on arrival. A medical team that boarded the aircraft upon landing examined the passenger and declared him dead.
Airport police later shifted the body to the Tambaram Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. The incident caused distress among passengers, with the deceased’s wife remaining inconsolable.
As per protocol, the aircraft underwent a thorough cleaning before the return journey. Due to this, the Chennai–Mauritius flight, originally scheduled to depart at 8.10 am, was delayed and eventually took off at 9.20 am.