Airplanes have become an integral part of human lives. As per reports, every day over 1 lakh aircraft take flight and approximately 60 lakh people fly daily. But have you ever wondered what happens when someone dies on a plane?
When someone dies on a plane, the crew immediately gives them CPR and tries to resuscitate them. In some cases, a defibrillator is used to shock the passenger back to life.
If the passenger is not resuscitated within 30 minutes, the protocol is to stop all physical procedures to get him back to life. Rather, in such a medical emergency, the crew then asks whether there is a doctor on board the plane. This is not just to help with revival, but also because only a licensed physician can declare somebody dead.
If there are no doctors available on board, then the crew will contact medical services on the ground. After the passenger has been declared dead, the pilots and the crew will proceed with dealing with the body.
While moving the body, dignity is of the utmost importance. In most cases, the body is moved to a less crowded part of the plane like empty seats in the back and even first-class. If there is nowhere to put the body, the dead passenger is placed in their assigned seat.
The crew has to be very considerate of what other passengers see. Hence, they either use a body bag or cover the person with a blanket and close their eyes.
In case of death, there is usually no emergency landing. Hence, the body will be there on the plane and the other passengers must bear the flight with the dead body. The rules and regulations vary from country to country.
According to statistics, around 358 people die mid-flight per year.
Ms Kalinga