70-year-old Indian man dies mid-flight after denture chokes windpipe

Doctors said patient also suffered from hypertension, diabetes, and was partially paralysed

A 70-year-old Indian man died on SpiceJet flight SG-438, on November 30, after his denture and lower jaw got dislodged mid-air and got stuck at the back of his throat, blocking his windpipe, reported Hindustan Times.

The Mumbai-Amritsar SpiceJet flight had to be diverted to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). The passenger was rushed to a clinic at the airport, but could not survive.

“Due to a blocked airway, the passenger couldn’t breathe. His body had turned blue depicting lack of oxygen,” said Dr Prabhanjan Shakunt, medical officer, Medanta’s airport clinic.



The flight had 176 members on board. The passenger, a native from Jalandhar, was travelling with his wife and son, the police confirmed.

“The fight landed at T-1 in a medical emergency. Medanta Hospital gave him first aid but he could not survive. We have initiated the inquest proceeding,” DCP (airport) Sanjay Bhatia said.

The doctors stated that the patient also suffered from hypertension, diabetes, and half of his body was already paralysed making the case a difficult one to handle.

“When he was brought to us, his tongue was already blue and his heart had stopped. Two doctors on board had already given him Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), which didn’t work. We also performed CPR for about an hour after he came to us but to no avail,” Shakunt added.

After deboarding the family, the flight continued course for Amritsar.



“SG-438 had experienced a medical emergency during cruise. The patient was attended by cabin crew and passenger doctors. Considering the condition of the patient and as advised by the passenger doctors, the crew diverted to Delhi. After landing, the patient was attended by doctor and ambulance and was escorted, along with family members to Medanta clinic,” said a SpiceJet spokesperson.