The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Saturday morning witnessed an emergency landing of a Jakarta-bound Emirates flight coming from Dubai. It was a medical emergency, where a passenger onboard suffered severe chest pain. However, he could not be saved. The passenger has been identified as 52-year-old HS Widodu, an Indonesian national.
Speaking to TNM, an official from the Cochin airport told that the landing took place in the wee hours of the morning, around 2:30 am. The passenger, who was experiencing uneasiness, was rushed to Little Flower Hospital in Angamaly, where he was declared brought dead, around 4.30 am.
“Widodu suffered severe chest pain in the flight, following which the pilot had requested for an emergency landing at the Cochin airport since it was the closest airport. The airport authorities were ready with the medical team and landing arrangements were made,” the airport official told TNM.
An official from the Little Flower Hospital confirmed that the passenger died on the way to the hospital. "Since he passed away en route, the hospital staff could not do anything except to inform the Nedumbassery police and hand over the body to them. In cases where the patients die on the way, the hospital is supposed to inform the police and they decide what has to be done further,” a hospital official told TNM.
The mortal remains of Widodu were sent to the Thrissur Medical College for a postmortem on Sunday morning.
An official at the Nedumbassery police station said that further decisions will be taken only after the post mortem is complete. “A couple of his relatives were also travelling with the deceased person,” the police official added.