A man onboard the EasyJet flight where an elderly woman died moments before take-off has revealed what really happened.
Allegations that EasyJet had allowed a family to wheel a 'dead relative onto a flight' from Málaga to London Gatwick began to swirl online last week (19 December) – prompting the budget airline to clarify this wasn't the case.
It later emerged that an 89-year-old had died shortly before take-off, leading to the flight returning to the terminal in order for passengers to disembark the aircraft.
The woman is understood to have been unwell but given a fit to fly certificate and was asleep when she was wheeled onto the aircraft.
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Her death was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Málaga Civil Guard, who gave her cause of death as cardiac arrest.
Meanwhile, passengers waiting to travel to London faced a further 12 hours of delays.
A passenger who was seated next to the elderly woman has since shared his recollection of events in an interview with Metro, revealing that he'd seen the woman breathing when she was brought onto the flight.
"All I saw was an elderly lady looking very poorly, she was accompanied by two people, a young lady and a man of about mid-fifties," passenger Tony Coatesworth, who was seated across the aisle from the woman explained.
Coatesworth also said he'd been told by the woman's family that she was flying in order to be moved to a care home close to the family.
He went on to reveal that the woman became unresponsive moments before take-off, leading to the two people escorting her to call for a member of cabin crew.
"He told the stewardess and she tried to wake the lady but she seemed unresponsive," he continued.
"They informed the captain and the decision was made to return to the parking place."
Coatesworth went on to corroborate EasyJet's statement on the incident, confirming that medical personnel were brought onto the aircraft to examine the woman, while the rest of the passengers disembarked.
"The EasyJet staff were totally professional and couldn’t have done anymore," he said.
The self-employed truck driver went on to rubbish any speculation that the woman had died before boarding, adding: "The misinformation that she was brought onto the plane dead is completely untrue as I saw her breathing.
"I agree she wasn’t looking great but she was breathing nevertheless."
He continued: "The assumptions made and exaggerated by some people on the plane and the media has been a total fabrication of what happened. Other people on the plane certainly have made a very big joke out of it."
What has EasyJet said about the incident?
In a statement provided to LADbible, a spokesperson for the airline stated the woman was alive when boarding the plane and was in possession of a ‘fit to fly’ certificate.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the customer who sadly passed away and we are offering support and assistance at this difficult time," the airline statement read.
"She was permitted to fly because she had a medical ‘fit to fly’ certificate and was being supported by medical personnel during her journey. It was only after boarding the customer then required medical assistance and she sadly passed away.
"The wellbeing of our passengers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority and we would ask customers for their understanding in these circumstances."
Brenna Cooper