WINDHOEK – An elderly passenger en-route to Munich, Germany, aboard a Lufthansa flight from Cape Town suffered a massive heart attack in mid-air on Monday night.
The fatal cardiac arrest forced the flight to make an emergency stop at Hosea Kutako International Airport.
According to information made available by Mia Davids, spokesperson for Namibia Airports Company (NAC), the unidentified passenger aged 66 was picked up by emergency services at the airport at about 22h15 and succumbed to the attack at a Windhoek hospital at 23h40.
Out of respect for the privacy of the family of the deceased, and NAC policy, the passenger’s identity has been withheld. Davids could also not divulge the name of the hospital where the German national was taken.
While there is no age limitation on air travel, it is advisable for passengers with heart conditions to alert the airline.
Studies have shown that most, if not all airlines, especially the bigger ones are ready to handle such instances and their crews are well trained for such emergencies.