An elderly woman suddenly died while flying from Illinois to Mexico after a mid-air medical emergency, prompting an emergency landing.
María Yolanda Guerrero Medina, 72, from Morelia, died while aboard Volaris flight 7771 from Chicago Midway International Airport to General Francisco Mujica International Airport with her husband on Saturday.
She had lived with kidney failure and diabetes for roughly 12 years, though the exact details surrounding the fatal emergency remain unclear, according to Spanish-language network Univision and newspaper El Norte.
Medina reportedly began to rapidly deteriorate as the plane entered Mexican airspace less than two hours into the flight, which departed at 3.13pm.
After other travelers alerted flight staff to her condition, the captain contacted authorities and requested authorization for an unscheduled landing, according to the outlet.
The aircraft landed at Monterrey International Airport in Mexico just before 5.30pm, according to FlightAware data, where medical and security staff were already in place on the runway.
Emergency personnel determined shortly after landing that Medina had no vital signs, with a preliminary report pointing to natural causes of death.
The sudden medical emergency prompted an intense mobilization at the Monterrey airport terminal that lasted several minutes, as authorities carried out procedures and protocols to respond to the situation.
María Yolanda Guerrero Medina, 72, died while flying from Illinois back home to Mexico after a mid-air medical emergency
The plane made an emergency landing at Monterrey International Airport in Mexico just before 5.30pm on Saturday, where medical personnel determined Medina had no vital signs
According to WLS News, the aircraft was replaced with another plane so the remaining passengers could continue the journey to their destination.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Volaris and Monterrey International Airport for comment.
While the chances of dying on a plane remain low, a 2023 study found the mortality rate to be 0.21 deaths per million passengers from in-flight medical emergencies, according to Flight Delayed.
For perspective, 2.2 billion travelers flew in 2021, meaning there were roughly 460 deaths aboard aircraft that year.
Deaths thousands of feet in the air are most often sudden, with the most common causes being pulmonary embolisms, cardiac arrests and respiratory issues, according to the outlet.
But perhaps the most uncomfortable question of them all is ‘what happens when someone dies?’
Last year, Ben Vos, who has worked at an airport mortuary for 35 years, told the Daily Mail what happens when travelers die abroad or onboard a flight, as he manages post-mortem care in such cases.
Along with a representative who handles border control and a coroner, Vos will enter the plane after passengers have disembarked after landing.
Medina lived with kidney failure and diabetes for roughly 12 years
Medina reportedly began to rapidly deteriorate as the plane entered Mexican airspace
The deceased passenger will be placed into a body bag and removed from the aircraft through a rear emergency exit behind the wings and transported to the mortuary without other passengers noticing.
This ensures that the deceased, as well as their loved ones who they may have been traveling with, are given respect and privacy.
A former flight attendant previously revealed that dealing with an in-flight death is ‘very stressful’ and can be ‘traumatic’ for everyone involved.
Jay Robert told HuffPost: ‘A death on board at 35,000 feet is one of the most feared situations for flight attendants, often because it follows a medical emergency, which is already very stressful to manage.’
‘When a medical emergency results in death, it can be a very traumatic experience for everyone on board, especially if the passenger is young,’ he added.
