China-bound flight lands in Kolkata due to medical emergency, Iraqi teenager dies

An Iraqi Airways flight from Baghdad to Guangzhou in China made a medical emergency landing at the Kolkata airport after a passenger on board suddenly fell ill, officials said on Thursday.

The passenger, a 16-year-old Iraqi girl, was declared "brought dead" when she was taken to a hospital in the city.

The flight IA-473, with 100 passengers and 15 crew on board, made a diversion from its course and landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here at 10.18 pm on Wednesday.

According to an Airports Authority of India (AAI) spokesperson, a medical team present at the airport immediately attended to the passenger, Deran Samir Ahmed, the spokesperson said.

The Iraqi teenager had suddenly fallen ill inside the aircraft about 30 minutes before it touched down at the airport here.

The Airport Health Officer (APHO) checked the passenger and found no pulse. Neither did the doctor find any heartbeat. The doctor referred the passenger to the nearest hospital for further evaluation.

At about 1.18 am on Thursday, the teenager and her two co-passengers were offloaded after the completion of formalities. They were taken to a private hospital by an AAI ambulance.

The hospital said the passenger was brought dead,  the AAI official added.

The flight departed for its destination with the rest of the passengers at 1.49 am on Thursday.