A recent incident has highlighted the heroic efforts of Korean Air’s crew who managed to save a foreign passenger’s life mid-air.
On the 25th of last month, at approximately 1 PM, a flight, KE695, departed from Incheon Airport bound for Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. On board was a Nepalese passenger, referred to as Mr. A, who collapsed and lost consciousness six hours into the flight.
Flight attendant Park Dong-jin, who was serving snacks at the time, noticed Mr. A’s deteriorating condition. He immediately informed the rest of the crew about the emergency situation.
The crew, including Park and Assistant Manager Seo Ok-jin, promptly checked Mr. A’s pulse and blood pressure. With the assistance of other passengers, they were able to lay Mr. A down in his seat.
Following the protocol of Korean Air’s ’24-hour Ground Emergency Medical System’, they provided first aid based on the advice of medical professionals from the ground.
Furthermore, the crew located Mr. A’s medical records with the help of a Nepalese nurse on board. They discovered that Mr. A was a neurological patient who required regular medication. However, he did not have his medication with him.
About an hour later, just before landing, Mr. A regained consciousness. He was then handed over to the awaiting medical team on the ground. At this point, Mr. A had recovered sufficiently to communicate effectively.
Flight attendant Park Dong-jin expressed, “All the crew members consider themselves as ‘police officers, firefighters, and rescue workers’ on board,” adding, “The training we receive every year on how to use medical equipment proved to be very helpful in this situation.”
