Woman dies onboard international flight, prompting an emergency landing

A woman was found unresponsive on an international flight and subsequently died while still aboard, causing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Northwest Canada. 

“On October 5th, at approximately 9:45 a.m., Yellowknife RCMP received a report that a passenger aboard flight KLM601 was unresponsive and the plane was making an emergency landing at Yellowknife Airport,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement shared with PEOPLE Magazine. 

Upon landing, RCMP said the female passenger, 34, was brought to a hospital where doctors pronounced her dead despite lifesaving efforts from first responders and the hospital emergency team. 

RCMP’s statement provided no other information about the victim, only adding that the matter was still under investigation, with assistance from the Coroner’s Service. 

A report from CBC, citing FlightAware, said that the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight that the victim was on was bound for Los Angeles, originating from the Netherlands. 

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred aboard a Jeju Air flight headed to Incheon from the Philippines, reported The Korea Herald. On June 1, a baby boy was born aboard a plane and was reported to be not breathing.  

According to the Incheon International Airport Police Corps, 119 emergency operators received a report at 6:44 a.m. regarding a baby who was born in the plane, and who was not breathing. By the time emergency workers arrived, the baby’s heart had stopped. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where the baby was declared dead. 

The baby was traveling with his parents, grandmother, and aunt—all Filipinos. Their Jeju Air flight took off from Clark International Airport and arrived at Incheon at 6:21 a.m.