Passenger dies in Mumbai airport premises

Mumbai, Feb 1 (UNI) Death visited Mumbai airport for the third time in the last 15 days as one Lucknow-bound passenger died in the airport premises today.

According to a Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) official, the passenger, identified as Jamil Ali (38), had met with an accident and received treatment at the city's Sion Hospital.

''Ali had booked a ticket for Lucknow in Deccan Airlines, and was brought on a wheelchair to the domestic airport at around 0630 hrs.

However, after looking at his condition, the airlines' authorities told his relatives that Ali's condition was not suitable for flying,'' the official said.

When the relatives insisted, the airlines told them that he could fly only if he was permitted by a doctor, following which they called the airport doctor.

''However, the doctor refused to give him a certificate, stating he should get it only from the hospital where he had undergone the treatment,'' he added.

The relatives got the ticket cancelled and booked his ticket for another flight and rushed to the Sion Hospital, leaving him at the airport.

Meanwhile, Ali's health deteriorated further and by the time the airport doctor was called, he had died, the official added.

Late last month, two passengers had died at the Mumbai airport within a short span of 12 hours. While an NRI passenger from Malaysia died of cardiac arrest, the other, a Haj pilgrim from Gujarat, died on-board a Yamen airlines' flight to Mumbai.

UNI IAS NM AM HT1825