Airline staff try in vain to save boy on Samoa Airways flight

Samoa's Faleolo international Airport. Photo / Getty Images

Police in Samoa are investigating the circumstances of the death of a child on board a flight from Auckland this week.

Emergency staff were called to Samoa's Faleolo International Airport on Wednesday after receiving information from a Samoa Airways aircraft that there was a medical situation mid-flight, the Samoa Observer reported.

The airline confirmed to the newspaper that a passenger had died on the Boxing Day flight from Auckland.

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"On Wednesday 26th December, a medical situation involving a passenger occurred whilst flight OL732 was en-route from Auckland to Apia,'' the statement said.

"In response, cabin crew assisted and treated the passenger with oxygen.''

The death occurred on a flight from Auckland to Samoa on Boxing Day. Photo / File

Despite the crew's efforts to revive the passenger, his condition deteriorated.

CPR was carried out and a defibrillator was used.

"Unfortunately, there was no medical personnel on board the flight,'' the airline told the Samoa Observer.

"The passenger - who, according to family, had a medical history which had not been disclosed to the airline prior to the flight - sadly passed away.''

A local police staffer told the publication that the passenger was a young boy and confirmed that Samoan Police were investigating the death.

A Samoa Airways spokesman said the airline would be helping with moves to return the passenger's body to New Zealand and were working with the victim's family.