A New Zealand aviation expert believes a plane carrying a young boy who died after a severe asthma attack should have returned to Auckland.
The boy was on board a Samoa Airways flight from Auckland to Apia when he had the attack allegedly after only 30 minutes after take off and Bill MacGregor believes the flight should have returned to Auckland.
“It sounds like if you were only 30 minutes out, a return to Auckland would’ve been on,” he told the New Zealand Herald.
Instead the pilots decided to continue to Apia but unforunately the young man died just before arrival.
“I don’t know what the protocols are for that particular airline, but normally if you’ve got a major medical emergency and there is a possibility to divert to a place which has a medical facility then you would take that opportunity,” Mr MacGregor said.
Now the boy’s family is calling on the airline to reveal what its protocols are when it comes to mid-air emergencies and exactly what warrants an aircraft making an emergency landing or turning back.
A woman speaking on behalf of the family told the Herald the youngster suffered a severe asthma attack not long into the OL732 Boxing Day journey.
“We have nothing but praise for the flight attendants, but question whether the pilot followed best practice operational procedures,’’ she said.
“Many are saying that the plane should have turned back for Auckland.
“(The boy) screamed out 30 minutes into the flight that he felt like he was going to die.”
Family members said they were told by the pilot about 90 minutes into the journey that it was too late to turn back.
He died 20 minutes before landing.
