‘I was sat next to the woman who died on the easyJet flight – here is what actually happened’

One of the passengers sitting next to the elderly British grandmother who passed away on an easyJet flight has revealed his version of events.

Passengers had reported that the 89-year-old woman was ‘already’ dead before getting on the flight to London Gatwick on Friday.

In the waiting area, she was seen ‘hunched over’ with others fearing she was already dead before embarking on the journey.

Tony Coatesworth, a self-employed truck driver, was returning from a work trip in Malaga and was sat on 25D, with only the aisle separating him and the elderly woman on 25C.

He said friends of the grandmother’s family had confirmed she was only flying so she could move to a care home closer to her family in England.

The 71-year-old told Metro: ‘All I saw was an elderly lady looking very poorly, she was accompanied by two people, a young lady and a man of about mid-fifties.

‘As we were heading to the runway, the young lady quietly told the man there may be a problem.

‘He told the stewardess and she tried to wake the lady but she seemed unresponsive.

‘Earlier, I had seen her breathing.

‘They informed the captain and the decision was made to return to the parking place.

‘They lifted the lady from her seat and laid her down at the rear of the plane where the staff normally sit.’

He added: ‘The doctor and assistants came on board and we were all told to disembark from the plane.

‘The easyJet staff were totally professional and couldn’t have done anymore.

‘The misinformation that she was brought onto the plane dead is completely untrue as I saw her breathing.

‘I agree she wasn’t looking great but she was breathing nevertheless.

‘The assumptions made and exaggerated by some people on the plane and the media has been a total fabrication of what happened. Other people on the plane certainly have made a very big joke out of it.

‘Her family must be absolutely devastated with the unbelievable actions of some people and certainly the media.’

‘Friends told me that all of her family are devastated by her death and the subsequent actions and comments made by people on social media.’

One of the other passengers Petra Boddington, a wellbeing expert, told The Sun: ‘People turned in their seats and went, ‘oh my god, she looks dead’.

‘She was a fragile, old lady who was curled up and doubled over in a chair in a not very comfortable position.

‘Anybody with eyes could see that she was not fit to fly and it wasn’t just me that thought it, it was everybody else that she went past.

‘People sat in front of me even said they’d seen the people that were with her holding her head up.

‘We all thought that she looked dead.’

EasyJet has said the claims are unfounded and explained that the woman had a fit-to-fly certificate and was alive before boarding the flight.

A spokesperson for easyJet said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the customer who sadly passed away, and we are offering support and assistance at this difficult time.

‘She was permitted to fly because she had a medical “fit to fly” certificate and was being supported by medical personnel during her journey.

‘It was only after boarding the customer then required medical assistance and she sadly passed away.

‘The well-being of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority and we would ask customers for their understanding in these circumstances.’

Comments Add as preferred source