Plane Passenger Dies After Collapsing During 12-Hour Flight

A long-haul international flight ended in tragedy after a passenger suffered a fatal medical emergency just before landing.

A 72-year-old man traveling on a Cathay Pacific flight from Amsterdam to Hong Kong died after collapsing mid-flight, authorities confirmed. The nearly 12-hour journey departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and was approaching Hong Kong International Airport when the emergency unfolded.

According to the Hong Kong Police Force, the passenger suddenly lost consciousness and was found collapsed onboard at approximately 7:22 a.m. local time on Sunday, Jan. 11, as the aircraft prepared to land. After the plane touched down, police and emergency responders boarded the aircraft.

Authorities said the man was transported to North Lantau Hospital in an unconscious state, where he was later pronounced dead. The case was officially classified as a death on arrival. A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

Cathay Pacific also confirmed the incident, saying crew members immediately provided first aid once they became aware of the medical emergency and requested ambulance services to be on standby upon arrival.

“The flight arrived into Hong Kong at 7:38 a.m. local time,” the airline said in a statement. “Paramedics boarded the aircraft immediately to deliver emergency medical services, and the passenger was subsequently transferred to the hospital.”

The airline later learned that the passenger had died and said it was “deeply saddened” by the loss, extending condolences to the man’s family.

The incident follows another serious in-flight situation involving the airline last month, when a passenger allegedly attempted to open a plane door mid-air during a flight from Boston to Hong Kong. That incident resulted in the arrest of a 20-year-old man from mainland China after the plane landed.

At the time, Cathay Pacific said its crew quickly secured the aircraft and alerted authorities, emphasizing that passenger and crew safety remains its top priority.

For travelers, the latest tragedy is a sobering reminder that medical emergencies can strike without warning — even thousands of feet in the air, far from immediate help.