Flight attendant dies of a heart attack while in the air: Gulf Air jet makes emergency landing while en route from Bahrain to Paris
- Air steward Yasser Saleh Al Yazidi was taken ill on a Gulf Air flight last week
- He suffered a heart attack at 34,000ft during a flight from Bahrain to Paris
- Pilots diverted to airport in Iraq but Yasser sadly died before reaching hospital
A flight attendant has died tragically after suffering a heart attack in the air during a flight from Bahrain to Paris.
Air steward Yasser Saleh Al Yazidi fell ill on Gulf Air flight GF-19 which left Bahrain International at 1.40am on Tuesday and was destined for Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
The pilots of the Airbus A321 were forced to make an emergency landing in Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq so Yasser could receive medical attention.
The plane was met by a medical team who immediately transferred the stricken cabin crew member to a nearby hospital. He was pronounced dead on arrival.
A member of the cabin crew aboard a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain to France died after suffering a heart attack on board (stock image: Gulf Air Airbus A321)
The pilots of the Gulf Air flight were forced to make an emergency landing in Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq 9Erbil international airport is pictured), where the plane was met by a medical team
The aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 34,000 feet over Iraq when Yasser was taken ill, director of Erbil airport Ahmed Hoshyar told Iraqi media.
The flight was grounded for roughly four hours at Erbil international airport before the passengers were able to continue on their journey to the French capital.
A Gulf Air statement released in the wake of Yasser’s death read: ‘The national carrier expresses its deepest condolences to the crew member’s family and loved ones, and confirms that the flight resumed to Paris as scheduled.
The plane was grounded for roughly four hours before the passengers could continue their journey to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (pictured)
‘Gulf Air reassures that the safety of its passengers and crew comes at the top of its priorities, and thanks the affected flight’s passengers for their patience and understanding,’ the statement continued.
Cabin crew are typically trained to administer basic first aid and all planes are equipped with rudimentary first aid kits and medical supplies.
But most commercial flights do not travel with specialist medical equipment and unless a doctor happens to be on board, pilots are generally required to perform an emergency landing at an appropriate airport should any serious medical issues arise during a flight.