Passengers have spoken out after a terrifying ordeal unfolded mid-flight on Thursday.
As reported by the New York Post, the incident unfolded aboard a Lufthansa flight from Thailand to Germany on Thursday (February 8), as passengers witnessed the distressing scene of a fellow traveler succumbing to a fatal medical emergency.
According to eyewitness accounts, the unidentified man - reported to be a 63-year-old German man - boarded the Airbus A380 in Bangkok visibly unwell, exhibiting symptoms of illness including "cold sweats" and labored breathing.
Karin Missfelder, a nursing specialist at University Hospital in Zurich, recounted her encounter with the man to the Swiss German outlet Blick, expressing concern over his deteriorating condition.
Missfelder revealed that she had spoken to the man's wife, who revealed that they had to rush in order to make the flight - which she believed was the reason behind the man's sweating and being short of breath.
Despite efforts from passengers and crew members to assist the ailing individual, the situation quickly escalated as blood reportedly began gushing from the man's mouth and nose, sending shockwaves through the cabin. Martin Missfelder, Karin's husband, described the scene as "absolute horror," with passengers screaming in disbelief as "liters of blood" spilled onto the plane's walls and interior.
"[Flight attendants] gave him a little chamomile tea, but he already spit blood into the bag that his wife held out to him," Mr Missfelder revealed.
Despite the best efforts of flight attendants and a doctor on board who attempted CPR, the man tragically passed away mid-flight.
As the man's body was moved into the galley of the plane, the captain announced the tragedy to the other passengers. "It was dead quiet on board," Karin recalled.
A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed the heartbreaking news, expressing condolences to the deceased passenger's relatives and acknowledging the inconvenience experienced by other passengers.
"Our thoughts are with the relatives of the deceased passenger. We also regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers of this flight," the spokesperson said.
Following the devastating incident, the flight was rerouted back to Thailand, where passengers faced a two-hour wait before being rebooked on alternative flights to Germany, with a stopover in Hong Kong.
Karin Missfelder revealed how the ordeal was compounded by the realization that the man's wife was left to navigate customs alone following her husband's sudden passing. She then expressed regret for not intervening more assertively and questioned the decision to proceed with the flight despite the passenger's deteriorating health.
"I should have intervened, but I saw that a doctor was looking after him, so I didn’t want to get involved,” Karin told Blick, "The man looked so bad, I don’t understand why the captain took off."
Our thoughts at this time are with every person impacted by this tragedy.
