Australia: A 24-year-old Indian-origin woman, Manpreet Kaur, tragically passed away on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Delhi just before takeoff on June 20.
According to reports, Manpreet Kaur, a student who worked at Australia Post and aspired to become a chef, was on her way to visit her family in India for the first time in four years. However, shortly after boarding the plane, she suffered a medical episode and collapsed in front of her seat.
“When she got on the plane, she was struggling to put her seatbelt on. Just before her flight started, she fell in front of her seat and died on the spot,” her friend Gurdip Grewal told the Herald Sun.
Qantas flight crew and emergency services attempted to provide medical assistance, but tragically, Manpreet Kaur passed away at the scene. It is understood that she likely died of tuberculosis.
Manpreet’s friend Grewal said she had been feeling unwell for hours before arriving at the airport but still managed to board the flight.
Her friend Gurdip Grewal has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Manpreet’s family during this difficult time.
“Our dear friend Manpreet left us too soon, leaving a void in our lives that can never be filled. As we grieve her passing, we want to come together to honour her memory and support her family in their time of need,” Grewal wrote on the fundraising page.
Victoria Police are currently preparing a report for the coroner, and Qantas has expressed their condolences to Manpreet’s family and loved ones.