Woman, 24, dies on Qantas flight from Melbourne just before takeoff

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A 24-year-old woman flying from Melbourne to Delhi on a Qantas flight died suddenly, reportedly from tuberculosis.

Manpreet Kaur was feeling unwell but boarded the flight on 20 June without any issue, her friends said. However, she collapsed and died before the plane departed.

Kaur, an aspiring chef, was travelling to see her family for the first time in four years.

She likely died of tuberculosis, an infectious disease that affects the lungs, the Herald Sun reported.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Manpreet Kaur,” a Qantas spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent.

The airline said that on 20 June, “a customer on our Melbourne to Delhi flight required medical attention shortly after boarding, prior to the aircraft pushing back from the gate”.

“Urgent assistance was provided by both crew and emergency services but sadly she passed away.”

On 1 July, Qantas became aware through media reports that Kaur may have had tuberculosis and contacted Australia’s National Incident Centre Operations seeking further information.

The health issue had not previously been disclosed to Qantas.

On 2 July, the Department of Health, Victoria, informed the company that they have begun limited contact tracing, and all those identified as having a potential risk would be screened.

The department said other people who were on the aircraft at the time would not undergo contact tracing, according to Qantas.

Meanwhile, friends and family remembered Kaur as a kind and honest person.

“Our dear friend Manpreet left us too soon, leaving a void in our lives that can never be filled,” Gurdip Grewal, a friend of Kaur, who also set up a GoFundMe fundraiser, wrote. “As we grieve her passing, we want to come together to honour her memory and support her family in their time of need.”

He reportedly told News Corp that Kaur had been feeling unwell for a while.

Victoria Police and Victoria Ambulance confirmed they attended to the emergency. Police are now preparing a report for the coroner and have confirmed that an investigation is underway.

Kaur moved to Australia in March 2020.

In February this year, a 63-year-old man died after coughing up “litres of blood” on a Lufthansa flight from Bangkok to Munich.

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