Three fellow passengers fought to save her life
A woman has died on a flight to Liverpool from Tenerife after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest. Three passengers fought to save the life of the woman on the easyJet flight, reported the Liverpool Echo.
Airline company easyJet has confirmed a passenger “required urgent medical assistance” after the flight heading to Liverpool John Lennon Airport set off from Tenerife at around 6.45pm on Tuesday, March 25.
The flight was diverted to an airport in northern Spain, Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport, where passengers were given overnight accommodation and a flight scheduled to continue their journey home the following day, Wednesday 26 March.
Eyewitnesses spoke to the Liverpool Echo and explained that three passengers performed CPR for up to 50 minutes in a bid to save the woman, before the plane landed in northern Spain on Tuesday evening.
One man, who wished to remain anonymous, told the ECHO how he was one of the three people who tried to help the woman after she collapsed.
He said: “I was with my wife, daughter and son-in-law when the staff asked for assistance. The staff got an oxygen tank and a defibrillator while myself, a nurse and a physiotherapist took it in turns to perform CPR on the woman.
“We tried our best but she died onboard the plane. When we landed police, paramedics and the CID team came onto the plane before we all got off.”
The woman, believed to have been 67-years-old, is understood to have been travelling with her husband back from the Canary Island. Airline company easyJet confirmed at the time the plane had been diverted due to a “customer onboard requiring urgent medical attention”.
The man continued: “I spoke to her husband afterwards and just said I’m so sorry. We tried everything to keep her alive.”
Since the incident, the ECHO has approached easyJet for comment, with the company saying it would not comment on individual passengers.
Another passenger praised the staff and passengers who tried to save the woman. They said: “They were exemplary. The woman fell ill and the pilot asked for nurses and doctors over the speaker. Three people came forward and were unbelievable.”
An easyJet spokesperson said in a new statement: “Flight EZY3366 from Tenerife to Liverpool on March 25 was required to divert to Santiago–Rosalía de Castro where it was met by paramedics due to a customer onboard requiring urgent medical attention.
“The well-being of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority. Our crew are trained to respond to medical issues and did everything possible during the flight, along with a medical professional who was assisting on board.
“We have remained in contact with the family and are continuing to offer our support and assistance.”
Spanish air traffic controllers posted on X at the time of the diversion: “The crew of the flight from Tenerife South to Liverpool informs us that they need to urgently divert to the airport at Santiago because they are trying to revive a 67-year-old female passenger who is unconscious.
“We facilitated a continuous descent and approach to runway 35 while medical care on the ground is coordinated with the airport.”
