Mumbai-Varanasi IndiGo flight makes emergency landing after 89-year-old passenger dies mid-air

An IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Varanasi was forced to make an emergency landing in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) after an 89-year-old passenger onboard fell seriously ill and later died. The incident occurred on Sunday night, prompting swift action from the airline and airport authorities.

The deceased, Sushila Devi, was a resident of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. According to officials, she began feeling unwell shortly after takeoff from Mumbai. The crew, alerted to her deteriorating condition, contacted air traffic control and requested an emergency landing.

The flight landed at Chikalthana Airport in Aurangabad at around 10 pm. A medical team rushed to attend to the elderly passenger, but she was declared dead on arrival. The exact cause of her death has not been made public yet.

Following her demise, police officials from the MIDC CIDCO police station completed the necessary formalities. The woman's body was sent to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for further examination.

After the emergency protocols were completed, the IndiGo flight resumed its journey to Varanasi later that night. IndiGo has issued a brief statement acknowledging the incident and confirming the diversion was due to a medical emergency onboard.

This unfortunate event underscores the challenges airlines face in managing in-flight medical emergencies, especially involving elderly passengers with potential pre-existing conditions.