Woman Dies Soon After Takeoff On British Airways Flight, Passengers Spend 13 Hours With Body On Plane

A female passenger in her 60s died shortly after takeoff on British Airways Flight BA32 from Hong Kong to London on Sunday. Following the death, her body was reportedly stored in a rear galley with a heated floor for the remainder of the 13.5-hour journey. According to Fox News, the woman died approximately one hour after the Airbus A350-1000 departed Hong Kong.

Despite the death, the pilots decided to continue the journey to Heathrow Airport rather than diverting or returning to Hong Kong, as a passenger death is typically not classified as a medical emergency. Crew members initially considered placing the body in a lavatory, but this option was rejected. Instead, the body was wrapped and moved to a rear galley.

A source said, "Obviously, the family with the woman was distraught, and so was the crew. Many wanted to return to Hong Kong. But, to put it bluntly, if a passenger has already died, that is not viewed as an emergency."

However, the staff reportedly overlooked the fact that the galley floor was heated. This heat allegedly caused a pungent smell to develop and spread through the back of the cabin as the flight progressed.

As the flight neared London, many of the 331 passengers and crew members reported a foul smell emanating from that section of the plane. Upon landing, police boarded the aircraft and required all passengers to remain seated for approximately 45 minutes while they investigated. 

British Airways stated that "all procedures were correctly followed" during the incident. The airlines told Fox News Digital, "A customer sadly passed away on board, and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time. We are supporting our crew, and all procedures were correctly followed."

The International Air Transport Association has certain guidelines for handling cases where a passenger dies mid-flight. The body is typically placed in a body bag or covered with a blanket up to the neck. Efforts are made to relocate the body to a less conspicuous area of the plane, such as an empty seat or a different section, if feasible. However, if the flight is fully booked, the body may be returned to the original seat.

A 2013 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that deaths on flights are relatively rare, with only 0.3 percent of in-flight medical emergencies resulting in death.