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A woman reportedly died on an easyJet flight mid-air earlier this week, resulting in the flight diverting to Spain, as several passengers onboard attempted to save her life.
According to reports from the Liverpool Echo and The London Standard, a 67-year-old woman began experiencing a medical emergency after her easyJet flight departed from Tenerife, Spain, for John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, England, at around 6:45 p.m. local time on Tuesday, March 25.
The outlets reported that fellow passengers and flight crew members suspected she had suffered cardiac arrest, and three people aboard the flight — including one nurse — sprung into action, giving the woman CPR as the plane changed course for northern Spain.
According to the Echo, bystanders recalled the three passengers performing CPR for 50 minutes.
One of those three passengers told the Echo that he was flying with his wife, daughter and son-in-law when the flight staff asked for assistance.
“The staff got an oxygen tank and a defibrillator while myself, a nurse and a physiotherapist took it in turns to perform CPR on the woman,” he recalled, per the outlet. “We tried our best, but she died onboard the plane. When we landed, police, paramedics and the CID team came onto the plane before we all got off.”
The Echo also reported that the woman was traveling back from Tenerife with her husband.
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easyJet confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE that the plane was diverted to Santiago–Rosalía de Castro in northern Spain because of a “customer onboard requiring urgent medical attention.”
“Flight EZY3366 from Tenerife to Liverpool on March 25 was required to divert to Santiago–Rosalía de Castro, where it was met by paramedics due to a customer onboard requiring urgent medical attention,” the company wrote.
“The well-being of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority. Our crew are trained to respond to medical issues and did everything possible during the flight, along with a medical professional who was assisting on board,” the statement continued. “We have remained in contact with the family and are continuing to offer our support and assistance.”
A similar incident on the European budget airline took place last month, when a flight heading to England from Egypt was forced to make an emergency landing in Greece after the pilot reportedly collapsed.
The aircraft was traveling from Hurghada to Manchester on Feb. 8 when the pilot experienced a “medical emergency,” a spokesperson for easyJet previously told PEOPLE. The co-pilot was forced to divert and land the plane in Athens.
“The first officer performed a routine landing in accordance with standard operating procedures and the aircraft was met by paramedics on arrival in Athens,” the airline said.
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