Lucknow, India - A tragic incident occurred on March 21, 2025, when a man from Bihar, identified as 53-year-old Aashif Daulla Ansari, was found dead aboard an Air India flight headed for Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCISA) in Lucknow. Ansari’s body was discovered just before the aircraft was set to land at the airport.
According to reports, Aashif boarded Air India flight AI 992 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on the night of March 20, which arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi early the following morning at approximately 5:31 AM. After a brief layover, he then transferred to flight AI 2485, which took off from IGIA at 7:10 AM and landed at CCSIA at 8:11 AM.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that as the flight was nearing its destination, a steward named Mohit was in the process of collecting used items such as food plates and drink cups when he approached Ansari's seat. To the steward’s shock, he found the passenger unresponsive, strapped into his seat with a fastened seatbelt and apparently unconscious.
Saurabh Sharma, a senior journalist who was present on the flight and seated just a few rows away, shared his observations. He noted, “The steward found that the victim was not responding and was unconscious. The victim had not even touched the food plate, which suggested that he was unconscious for a long time after the flight departed.”
Fortunately, a group of doctors onboard were en route to attend the Indian National Stroke Conference 2025 in Lucknow. Two doctors immediately rushed to assist Ansari, but they reportedly found him without a pulse and exhibiting no signs of breathing. Despite their efforts, it was clear that the situation was severe.
The official spokesperson for CCSIA stated that once the airport's medical team arrived, they provided first aid to the unwell passenger and transported him to a nearby private hospital located 23 km away in Viraj Khand, Gomti Nagar. However, it was too late, and he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Sharma emphasized the delay in medical assistance, indicating that the medical team only arrived after passengers had already exited the terminal. “We saw the arrival of the airport's medical team with a stretcher only when we had exited the arrival gate,” he remarked.
In a concerning revelation, SHO Sarojini Nagar R D Prajapati conveyed that neither the airport operator nor the airline informed the police regarding the deceased passenger. This lapse raised alarms given a similar previous incident just days before; on March 18, a septuagenarian woman collapsed and died while waiting at the boarding gate. She, too, was taken to a government-run hospital but the local police were not promptly notified.
Prajapati explained, “Airport has a tie-up with a private hospital to provide medical assistance, but considering the severity, the medical team makes the decision on where to transport sick passengers.” In Ansari’s situation, the decision was made to take him to the aforementioned private hospital, which would cover his medical expenses.
As of the time of reporting, the airline had officially communicated Ansari’s sudden demise to his relatives. Forensic authorities stated that an autopsy would be conducted with the presence and consent of the family, as required by protocol. The local Vibhuti Khand police would handle the panchnama for the deceased.
This incident has sparked serious concerns regarding the protocols followed by airlines and airports in managing health emergencies aboard flights. With two deaths occurring in rapid succession—both during travel and immediately upon arrival at the airport—these issues have propelled discussions on how to better ensure the safety and well-being of passengers during air travel.
Aashif Daulla Ansari hailed from Nechua Pandey Tola in the Jalalpur area of Gopalganj district, Bihar, which is situated close to the border with Gorakhpur district in Uttar Pradesh. His passing marks a heartbreaking incident that resonates deeply within his community back in Bihar.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident, seeking to ascertain how such deaths can be mitigated and the procedures necessary for the protection of passengers.
