A 78-year old woman who went into medical distress received first aid. The incident occurred on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Vancouver. Sadly, the woman died despite a heroic effort by her fellow passengers to save her life.
Tragedy on the air
According to witnesses, the woman became extremely ill and unresponsive on board the 314-passenger flight as it was travelling somewhere above Saskatchewan. Several people attempted to help her including two doctors and a nurse. The plane made an emergency landing in Calgary so she can be rushed to a healthcare facility.
Sadly, her family confirmed that the passenger, identified as Surjit Kaur passed away. One of the men who tried to save her, Vancouver resident Hayden Ordel stated that they did everything they could but it was an uphill battle.
They pumped her chest as fast and hard as they could. For 35-40 minutes, she was unresponsive in the air. Ordeal has first aid training for his work in the film industry but stated that he has not performed CPR outside of a training scenario. He was assisting three medical professionals who also utilized a defibrillator to monitor Kaur’s condition.
Paramedics met the plane when it landed at the airport in Calgary and there were initially signs of hope for the senior. Ordel stated that the captain announced that the passenger was responsive when she was taken to a hospital, though she remained in a critical condition.
Importance of first aid and CPR training
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique that can save a life. If promptly delivered, it can improve the chances of survival during emergencies.
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