Kenya Airways has confirmed the death of a passenger aboard its flight operating from New York JFK Airport to Nairobi, Kenya.
According to the airline, the passenger in-flight KQ003 was taken ill prompting a medical emergency landing at Casablanca in Morocco on Monday, August 22.
The passenger’s identity and cause of death have not yet been released.
“Kenya Airways PLC (“KQ”) confirms that on Monday, 22nd August 2022, KQ003 operating from New York to Nairobi, diverted to Casablanca, Morocco, for a medical emergency after a passenger was taken ill. On arrival in Casablanca, medical personnel at the airport found the passenger unresponsive and was confirmed to have passed away.”
“We convey our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and sincerely apologise to our other guests for the inconvenience,” the airline said in a statement.
The airline has sent a message of condolences to the family and friends of the passenger. It also apologized to the guests on the flight for the distress.
“We convey our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, and sincerely apologize to our other guests for the inconvenience.”
KQ003 was scheduled to land in Nairobi at 10:30 am on Monday but was delayed till 1900hrs, according to reports.
Deaths mid-flight are rare. In instances of a passenger death while onboard an aircraft, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recommends that crew members move the body to a seat that is not close to many other passengers, according to the New York Post.
If the flight is full, the association suggests restraining the body by backing into the person’s assigned seat with a seatbelt.
The body should be put in a body bag or covered in a blanket and not removed until authorities handle the situation, according to the association.
