Man Recounts How Air India Crew And Passengers United To Save Elderly Mid-Flight

A dramatic medical emergency unfolded on an Air India flight from Bhubaneswar to Delhi on December 6 when an elderly man suddenly collapsed on board. Anand Bajpai, a Hyderabad-based professional, shared details about the terrifying incident in a LinkedIn post. Bajpai revealed that because of the swift response of the crew members, a man's life was saved, and a potential tragedy was avoided.

While recounting the incident, he said that he had noticed the elderly couple while boarding and agreed to a seat swap with the man. Bajpai described the chaos and panic that erupted when the man collapsed, and someone shouted, "He's not breathing!"

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"Some panicked, some got scared, some just wanted to see ki hua kya hai (what has happened), and suggestions poured in. But some chose to respond," he wrote in the post.

He mentioned that a doctor and a few others, including the crew members, came forward to help the elderly man. They also took him to the rear fight deck to care for him better, and as a result, he started to regain consciousness. They tried to engage him in simple conversations, like family and profession, which helped.

"One stock broker (First responder), One Doctor and a bunch of Air Hostesses got together and started to execute tasks at hand. Mine was the simplest - observe, regain control & employ right resource for right task."

"When we got Uncle to the rear flight deck, he started regaining consciousness, and we did what is taught 'Never let a casualty drift'. So we started our conversations. Normal Human Conversations. Family, Home, Life, Profession et al."

Bajpai praised the Air India crew, calling them "heroes without capes".

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Social Media Reaction

The incident highlights the importance of being prepared for medical emergencies and the role of bystander intervention. While commenting on the post, one user said, "Brilliant effort...BZ to all the heroes." 

"What a story Anand ji, Proud of you for what you have done. Keep Inspiring us...!!!" another user wrote.