Woman dies mid-air on London-bound British Airways flight; body stored in galley for 13-hours
A female passenger in her 60s died shortly after takeoff on a long-haul British Airways flight from Hong Kong to London, prompting an unusual and distressing situation onboard.
The incident occurred on Flight BA32, operated by an Airbus A350-1000, on Sunday. According to reports, the passenger passed away roughly one hour after departure.
Flight continued despite death
Despite the medical emergency, the flight crew chose to continue the 13.5-hour journey to Heathrow Airport rather than divert.
Aviation protocols generally do not classify a confirmed passenger death as an emergency requiring diversion, especially when medical intervention is no longer possible.
“If a passenger has already died, that is not viewed as an emergency,” a source said, adding that both the crew and the family were deeply distressed.
Crew members initially considered placing the body in a lavatory but ruled it out. Instead, the body was wrapped and moved to a rear galley area.
However, the situation became more complicated when it was reportedly overlooked that the galley floor was heated. As the flight progressed, passengers and crew in the rear cabin began noticing a strong, unpleasant odor emanating from the area.
As the aircraft approached London, multiple passengers among the 331 people onboard complained about the smell spreading through the back of the cabin.
After landing, authorities boarded the aircraft, and passengers were asked to remain seated for around 45 minutes while officials conducted checks.
In a statement, British Airways said, "A customer sadly passed away on board, and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time. We are supporting our crew, and all procedures were correctly followed.”
What are the rules in such cases?
Guidelines from the International Air Transport Association recommend:
Placing the body in a body bag or covering it respectfully
Moving it to a less visible area, if possible
If the flight is full, the body may remain in the passenger’s original seat
A 2013 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that in-flight deaths are rare, accounting for just 0.3% of medical emergencies onboard aircraft.
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