Gulf Air flight attendant suffers heart attack mid-flight to Paris

The crew member began to feel ill on Gulf Air flight GF-19 from Bahrain to Paris. Photo / 123rf

A flight attendant has tragically died after he suffered a heart attack mid-air.

Yasser Saleh Al Yazidi was working on Gulf Air flight GF-19 from Bahrain to Paris on Tuesday when he began to feel ill about an hour and a half into the flight.

The aircraft was cruising at 34,000 feet over Iraq when pilots of the A321 were forced to make an emergency landing in Erbil – in the Kurdistan region of Iraq – so Yasser could receive medical attention.

He was immediately transferred to a nearby hospital, however, he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The flight was reportedly grounded for roughly four hours at Erbil international airport before the passengers were able to continue on their journey to the French capital.

Pilots made an emergency landing in Erbil so the flight attendant could receive medical care. Picture: iStock

A statement released by Gulf Air read: “The national carrier expresses its deepest condolences to the crew member’s family and loved ones, and confirms that the flight resumed to Paris as scheduled.

“Gulf Air reassures that the safety of its passengers and crew comes at the top of its priorities, and thanks the affected flight’s passengers for their patience and understanding,” the statement continued.

While cabin crews are typically trained to administer basic first aid, most commercial flights are not equipped with specialised medical equipment, meaning planes must make an emergency landing when serious medical issues arise during a flight, according to New York Post.