Teenage girl dies after collapsing halfway through flight from Iraq to China

Flight was redirected for emergency landing in Kolkata, India, but the girl was declared dead upon arrival at hospital

File. An Iraqi Airways plane (AFP via Getty)

An Iraqi Airways flight from Baghdad to Guangzhou in China made an emergency landing at Kolkata airport in India due to a medical emergency involving a 16-year-old girl who suddenly fell ill.

Despite getting immediate medical attention after the plane landed, the Iraqi girl was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital.

The flight, carrying 100 passengers and 15 crew members, landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose airport at around 10.18pm on Wednesday.

The teenager had reportedly taken ill on the aircraft about half an hour earlier.

According to an Airports Authority of India spokesperson, a medical team was rushed to see the passenger. “The girl had no pulse or heartbeat when the plane landed in Kolkata,” the agency said in a statement. “The attending doctor referred her to the nearest hospital for further evaluation.”

“At about 1.18am, the passenger along with two of her immediate family members were offloaded and due formalities completed.”

It was unclear who the family members were.

The girl’s body would be handed over to her family with assistance from the Iraqi embassy in Delhi.

The Independent has reached out to the Iraqi embassy for comment.

File. An Iraqi Airways plane (Getty)

Dr Pooja Adhikary, who was with the medical team that attended the teenager, reported a case of unnatural death at the Baguiati police station, according to The Indian Express.

The Baguiati police launched an investigation based on the doctor’s report, NDTV reported, and collected the girl’s body from the Charnock Hospital for a postmortem examination.

The flight took off for China with the remaining passengers at 1.49am on Thursday.

The Independent has contacted Iraqi Airways for comment.