On Saturday, September 14, 2024, Gabriella Cario, a 57-year-old flight attendant and mother of three, suffered a fatal collapse while boarding an ITA Airways flight at Reggio Calabria Airport, Italy. Despite feeling unwell, Cario decided against seeking medical aid, opting instead to continue her journey home to Rome.
Witnesses reported that Cario looked visibly ill but chose to proceed with her journey. Soon after boarding ITA Airways flight 1156, she collapsed in front of shocked passengers and crew members. Emergency medical personnel were swiftly called to the scene, but they were unable to resuscitate her. The precise cause of Cario’s death remains undetermined, with initial reports only mentioning a sudden illness.
Regarded as a well-known figure in her local community of Sabaudia, Cario’s funeral was held there. Mayor of Sabaudia, Alberto Mosca, expressed his sorrow over her death, stating, “I knew Gabriella. She was a bright, always-smiling, and kind woman. On behalf of the administration and the entire community, I extend our heartfelt condolences to her husband and her beloved three children”.
Contrary to what one might think, in-flight medical emergencies are not particularly rare. According to aviation health experts, approximately one out of every 604 flights will encounter some sort of medical emergency. The most frequently reported incidents include fainting, gastrointestinal issues, and cardiovascular symptoms. While flight crews are equipped with medical kits and automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and have protocols to consult with ground-based medical professionals, managing these emergencies in an air travel environment can be quite challenging.
In 2024, several in-flight medical emergencies have caught global attention. In early January, a passenger was found unresponsive in the lavatory on a Jet2 flight from Tenerife, Spain, to Manchester, England, and later died. In early February, a man on a Lufthansa flight to Munich, Germany, experienced severe nose and mouth bleeding, forcing an emergency landing in Bangkok, but the man died on the plane. Later in February, a woman aged 41 started having convulsions on a flight from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic to Charlotte, North Carolina; the plane diverted, but she died at a hospital.
In Cario’s case, her collapse occurred while the plane was still on the ground, which allowed emergency medical services to reach her relatively quickly. Despite their immediate response, they were unable to save her life.
While aviation protocols for managing medical emergencies are well-established, they are not infallible. Airlines are continually striving to enhance their response procedures, with many now participating in programs like Doctors on Board, which helps identify medical professionals among passengers who can assist during emergencies.
