Iraqi Teenager Dies on Flight to China, Makes Emergency Landing in Kolkata

An Iraqi Airways flight from Baghdad to Guangzhou in China made an emergency landing at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday night after a 16-year-old Iraqi girl on board suddenly fell ill. The passenger, identified as Deran Samir Ahmed, was declared “brought dead” when she was taken to a hospital in the city.

The flight IA-473, carrying 100 passengers and 15 crew members, diverted from its course and landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 10:18 pm. A medical team at the airport immediately attended to the passenger, but the airport health officer (APHO) found no pulse and the doctor could not detect a heartbeat. The passenger was referred to the nearest hospital.

The teenager and her two co-passengers were offloaded at 1:18 am after completing formalities and taken to a private hospital in an AAI ambulance. The hospital confirmed the passenger was brought dead.

The Baguiati police have opened a case of unnatural death (UD) based on information provided by the doctor on duty at the hospital. The Iraqi girl’s body was taken by the police for a post mortem examination.

Airport officials said the Iraq Embassy in Delhi will be contacted by the police. It was difficult to communicate with the girl’s relatives, who were traveling with her, as they could not speak English. The body will be handed over to the family after necessary formalities are completed.