LISTEN: Joburg medic reflects on passenger’s mid-flight death
A Johannesburg paramedic who was on a flight from Durban to Joburg recalls the moments he tried in vain to save a passenger’s life.
Andrew Sampson was travelling home when the crew called for any medical personnel on board to help in an emergency.
"I discovered he's got no pulse. He was no breathing.
"He was basically in cardiac arrest. Uh, you know, hands were cold and everything has been, you know, in that situation for a good couple of minutes already. So we tried to resuscitate him by using a ED and CPR. Tried a few measures."
"There was no response," said Sampson.
Before boarding, staff who were concerned about the passenger called a medical team at King Shaka International to check them.
The traveller was then cleared to fly.
READ: FlySafair to conduct internal review after passenger dies on flight
Fellow passenger and medic Sampson says everything seemed fine after takeoff until the midair emergency.
"When we boarded the flight, there was medics that was assisting a passenger just to make sure he is okay, and it seemed like everything was okay."
"When we took off about 10 minutes, 15 minutes later, the air hostess were administering oxygen to this person, and then it seemed okay again, halfway through the flight."
"Suddenly they called for medical."
The passenger passed away before the flight could land.
Sampson describes the incident as a traumatic for everyone on board.
"And we had to try and calm everybody down, but it was a very shocking experience for most of everybody on the flights, and we just had to do what we needed to do."
FlySafair says counselling has been offered to those who witnessed the incident. The airline says it's also conducting an internal review.
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