Manpreet Kaur Qantas passenger dies moments before plane departing for India from Melbourne, Australia as it is revealed 24 year old had tuberculosis, that she may or may not have known about prior to flight. Had been feeling ill for many days prior….
A 24 year old woman traveling to visit her family in India died on board a Qantas flight, moments before the plane taking off from Melbourne, Australia.
Manpreet Kaur, 24, suffered a medical episode after boarding the plane at Tullamarine Airport on June 20.
Medical assistance was immediately provided to Kaur before the passenger died in front of horrified passengers. The woman is understood to have died from tuberculosis, an infectious disease that mostly affects the lungs.
It remained unclear if Kaur was aware she had contracted TB — which generally is no longer common with the advent of vaccines and preventable avenues.
The plane had been destined to Delhi where Kaur’s family live and whom she hadn’t seen in four years since moving to Australia in March 2020.
A Qantas spokesman said flight crew and emergency services had both attempted to provide medical assistance the dailymail reported.
‘Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones,’ the Qantas spokesperson told the outlet.
Kaur’s friend Gurdip Grewal said the 24-year-old had been feeling unwell in the hours before she arrived at the airport.
‘When she got on the plane, she was struggling to put her seatbelt on,’ he said.
‘Just before her flight started, she fell in front of her seat and died on the spot.’
Revelations that Kaur was feeling unwell prior to flying out led to some commentators wondering why the 24 year old hadn’t sought medical attention instead and whether she was indeed aware that she had TB.
Roommate Kuldeep told the Herald Sun Kaur worked at Australia Post and wanted to become a chef.
‘She was kind and honest,’ she said.
‘She loved to travel with her friends around Victoria.’
Mr Grewal launched a GoFundMe in a bid to raise money for her family.
‘Our dear friend Manpreet left us too soon, leaving a void in our lives that can never be filled,’ he wrote.
‘As we grieve her passing, we want to come together to honour her memory and support her family in their time of need.’
Victoria Police are preparing a report for the coroner.
‘As the matter is before the coroner we will not be providing further comment,’ a spokeswoman said.
