Medical emergencies on flights are always tricky, but the incident on an Air India flight from London to Mumbai is a notable one for the brilliance of a doctor onboard. Dr. Vishwaraj Vemala resuscitated a fellow passenger who suffered a cardiac arrest not once but twice, monitoring them for five hours through the journey back in November. Let's find out more.

Emergency onboard

The incident occurred on Air India flight AI128 from London to Mumbai in mid-November. Crew members began urgently searching for a doctor after a passenger collapsed in the aisle with no pulse or breathing. That's when Dr. Vishwaraj Vemala raised his hand, quickly starting to care for the passengers.

In his account, Dr. Vamala, a liver specialist who was flying to Bangalore with his mother, explained how it took an hour of resuscitation before the passenger had a pulse once again. Using all the tools onboard and even more borrowed from fellow passengers, he managed to get the patient breathing again, bringing a sigh of relief to all onboard.

However, the emergency wasn't over just yet. While Dr. Vamala was monitoring the patient, he suffered a second cardiac arrest. This time, it took longer to resuscitate, but he was successful again, with the passenger eventually conscious for the landing and deeply thankful to the doctor for his exceptional work.

Using everything available

Dr. Vamala noted that he was surprised by the amount of emergency gear available on the flight. The onboard kit included resuscitative medication, an automated external defibrillator, and supplementary oxygen, all of which was crucial to reviving the passenger. However, monitoring the patient after was harder, with Dr. Vamala managing to collect a pulse oximeter, heart rate machine, and glucose monitor from other passengers to keep an eye on the traveler's vital signs.

In a statement, the good doctor said,

"In total, he [the patient] was without a good pulse or decent blood pressure for nearly two hours of the flight, alongside the cabin crew, we were trying to keep him alive for five hours in total. It was extremely scary for us all, especially the other passengers, and it was quite emotional. I remember it was extremely emotional for us all when we heard we could land in Mumbai. By the time we landed the passenger had been resuscitated and was able to speak with me. Nevertheless, I insisted he go to a hospital to be checked over."

Air India Boeing 787
Photo: Komenton/Shutterstock

One particularly proud passenger was the doctor's mother, who he noted was crying, saying,

"It was also the first time in my seven years as a consultant that my mum had seen me ‘in action’ so to speak, so that made it even more emotional – she was crying a lot...The patient thanked me with tears in his eyes. He said: ‘I am forever indebted to you for saving my life’. This was indeed a moment that I will remember for rest of my life.”

No diversion

Whenever a passenger suffers a life-threatening condition on a flight, the first decision made by any doctor onboard and the captain is to divert to the nearest suitable airport for a hospital. However, this was more complicated in AI128's case since the nearest suitable airport was in Pakistan. After a discussion with airport authorities and the High Commission, the flight did not receive permission to land, forcing it to complete the journey to India.

After initially planning to land at Ahemdabad, the flight landed in Mumbai, and the passenger was safely released to medics with detailed notes. Dr. Vamala also thanked the cabin crew onboard, who were crucial to saving the passenger. He noted the work of Mallisa, the flight attendant who he described as a de facto nurse during the flight, who kept a record of the patient's vital data scores, and Giritha, who collected essential devices from other passengers. Finally, Prashanth, the lead crewmember, liaised with the flight deck to divert the flight as quickly as possible.

Overall, the incident highlights the brave work of Dr. Vamala and the crew onboard, who often need to attend to medical emergencies and do so with exceptional skill.