NAGPUR: A seven-year-old passenger of a Lucknow-Mumbai GoAir flight was declared brought dead at a Nagpur hospital after she was rushed there following an emergency landing of the plane at 7:25 AM on Tuesday at Nagpur airport.
Residents of Seheri Khat, Siddarth Nagar, Chaffa of Uttar Pradesh, Ayushi Punvasi Prajapati was flying with her father in GoAir flight G8307. Officials informed that the duo appeared financially weak and the father was unable to explain his daughter's health condition.
Ayushi was attended to by a medical team from Kingsway Hospital who sent her to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). Kingsway Hospital's Dr Mohammed Ahteshamoddin informed the media that the girl was already on automated external defibrillators when they reached. Ayushi was sent to GMCH in a cardiac life support ambulance. GMCH doctors found her unresponsive.
The exact cause of Ayushi's death is yet to be ascertained. GMCH officials said the viscera samples have been preserved to investigate the cause of her death. According to the officials, initial investigations seem to underline the cause as cardiac arrest brought on by high altitude.
Officials said that Ayushi was found to be anaemic with a haemoglobin level of 2.5 gms. "Patients below 8 to 10gms of haemoglobin are not permitted air journeys. Ayushi's records show she had just 2.5gms. They were going for her treatment to Mumbai." They also informed that the girl's father failed to mention any medical case history to the airport medical team as well.
Officials further said that oxygen demand increases at high altitudes. According to them, the girl began to have difficulty in breathing as soon as the plane took off. "The crew members searched their bags and found blood reports of the girl stating she had 2.5gms of haemoglobin. Covid test was done and found negative. At 6pm, the body was handed over to the father, who took it by road to their native place, about 200km ahead of Lucknow," officials said.
The flight took off immediately after the girl and her father alighted.