BENGALURU: An AirAsia India flight carrying 169 passengers from Bengaluru to Kolkata has to be diverted to Bhubaneshwar mid-way after a 33-year-old male passenger developed health issues onboard. He was rushed to a hospital after the flight reached the airport but was declared dead.
Flight No I5 2472 took off at 6.20 am from Bengaluru. Taimur Ali Khan, in his early thirties, was a native of Medinipur in West Bengal and told the crew mid-way during the flight that he was unwell. The flight was immediately diverted to the Biju Patnaik International Airport. Doctors at Capital Hospital at Bhubaneshwar where he was taken pronounced him dead.
According to a reliable source, the passenger had earlier come to Bengaluru for treatment due to a health condition and was on his way to his hometown.
An airline spokesperson in a statement said, “Air Asia India reported that a guest scheduled to travel from Bengaluru to Kolkata onboard i5-2472 on Sunday, March 13, reported unwell during the flight. Medical attention was provided by the airline crew. Medical attention was provided by the airline crew and the flight was immediately diverted to Bhubaneshwar. “The guest was rushed to hospital and subsequently pronounced dead, it said.
“AirAsia India offered condolences to the guest’s family and is providing them with assistance,” it added.
Of the total flyers who began their trip from Bengaluru, only 164 passengers opted to take the flight from Bhubaneshwar to Kolkata. It reached there safely by 10.16 am today.
On January 9, 2022, a Chennai-bound AirAsia flight from Ranchi too was diverted to Bhubaneshwar after a passenger developed breathing issues mid-air. He died the next day at the hospital.
Bangalore diversion
Meanwhile, in another incident involving the airline, a Chennai to Jaipur flight (flight no. 15-1228) was diverted to Bengaluru on Saturday morning due to a minor technical issue. An Air Asia spokesperson confirmed the incident and in a statement said, "The aircraft will go through necessary inspections before being released for operations. AirAsia India has arranged another aircraft for guests to travel to Jaipur."