British Airways Crew Member Collapses and Dies in Front of Passengers

(LibertySons.org) – British Airways passengers planning to travel from London to Hong Kong on December 30 experienced a change in plans in response to a tragic event. A flight attendant, 52, collapsed in front of seated guests just before the plane was ready to push away from the gate to begin the 13-hour journey from Heathrow. Despite a passenger and pilot attempting to provide CPR until first responders could arrive, medics pronounced the crew member dead at the scene.

Fliers had taken their seats, and attendants had locked and checked doors when the male attendant suddenly dropped near the back of the plane. A traveler trained in first aid and CPR attempted to render help as the flight crew called for medics. Yet, the London Ambulance Service told media outlets the patient died “despite the best efforts of [their] crew.”

The airline decided to delay the flight until the next day, allowing the stricken attendant’s colleagues time and space to begin grieving and placing passenger safety in the hands of fresh pilots and flight crew to serve travelers better. British Airlines extended its condolences, saying, “Our thoughts are with our colleague’s family and friends at this difficult time,” according to The Sun.

The incident marked the second British Airways death that week. The first incident occurred on December 23 in New York, when colleagues found another crew member, also 52, dead in his hotel room. The crew had an overnight stopover and planned to work the return flight to London. The airline canceled the flight and booked travelers on later flights before flying the affected flight crew home as passengers, allowing them to grieve their loss just before Christmas.

An unidentified airline source told The Sun that neither man had “underlying health issues” and that both had left behind families “in shock and disbelief.” Colleagues expressed alarm at the sudden unexplained losses of “two healthy people,” leaving many unanswered questions and several “deeply upset” people.

~Here’s to Our Liberty!