CHENNAI: A 56-year-old woman travelling from Fiji to Chennai for cancer treatment died of a sudden cardiac arrest while the aircraft was mid-air on Friday night.
The deceased was identified as Nalini Ranjani Devi. Police said she and her husband, Sadasivan (62), were residents of Fiji.
Though Indians by origin, the couple had acquired Fiji citizenship and had been living there for several years. Nalini was recently diagnosed with cancer, following which her husband decided to bring her to Tamil Nadu for advanced medical treatment. The couple travelled from Fiji to Malaysia, and later, boarded a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai.
While the aircraft was cruising mid-air, Nalini complained of severe chest pain and soon became unresponsive. The cabin crew immediately administered first aid and informed the pilot.
After the pilot informed air traffic control, permission was granted for an emergency landing. The aircraft landed at Chennai airport around 11.30 pm. Medical personnel boarded the aircraft, examined Nalini, and said that she had died due to a massive cardiac arrest.
After the other passengers disembarked, the body was removed from the aircraft and sent for a post-mortem to Tambaram GH. Airport police have registered a case, and an investigation is under way.
Following the incident, the Malaysia Airlines flight, scheduled to depart for KL at 12.20 am, was delayed and took off around 1.40 am.