T'way Air "Saved Foreign Passenger with Breathing Difficulty through Prompt Response"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] T'way Air announced on the 23rd that it saved the life of a passenger who experienced severe respiratory distress onboard through quick and systematic response.

On the 19th at around 7:50 PM, on T'way Air flight TW171, an A330-300 aircraft departing from Incheon Airport bound for Singapore, a male passenger in his late 40s of Singaporean nationality seated in a middle seat lost consciousness after complaining of respiratory distress about two hours after takeoff.

At the time, cabin crew member Yeonhee Kim, the purser, assessed the passenger's condition and immediately informed Captain Hakkyung Kim in the cockpit of the in-flight emergency. After learning that the passenger had a history of kidney dialysis and heart surgery, they identified medical personnel among the passengers. Along with flight attendant Jiwoong An, who holds a nursing qualification and was working on the same flight, they used the onboard emergency equipment, including the emergency oxygen supply device (PO2 BOTTLE) and emergency medical kit (EMK), to provide oxygen and emergency care.

Meanwhile, the cockpit connected via satellite phone (SATCOM) to T'way Air’s medical advisory university hospital to consult on the emergency treatment for the passenger with respiratory distress. Together with a passenger who was a licensed Korean medicine doctor assisting the crew, they continued emergency care for the critical passenger.

The critical passenger, traveling alone without any companions, continued to experience fluctuating respiratory distress. Based on the medical advice and opinions of the onboard medical personnel, Captain Hakkyung Kim judged the passenger’s life to be in danger and decided to divert the flight to Ho Chi Minh City Airport in Vietnam instead of continuing to Singapore.

Subsequently, arrangements were made with the Ho Chi Minh City Airport branch to prepare ambulances and other support to receive the emergency passenger. The aircraft landed at Ho Chi Minh City Airport at around 1:30 AM (Korean time), and the passenger was immediately transported to the hospital by ambulance waiting on the ramp.

After refueling and handling the critical passenger’s baggage, the aircraft departed Ho Chi Minh City Airport around 3:00 AM (Korean time) and continued on to Singapore.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the passenger experienced cardiac arrest and was in a very critical condition. However, the passenger has since overcome the critical phase and is currently undergoing treatment, showing improvement with no life-threatening condition.

Captain Hakkyung Kim of T'way Air stated, “I made the diversion decision prioritizing the passenger’s life above all else,” and added, “I am also very grateful that the passengers onboard cooperated calmly without much disturbance following the diversion decision.”

Flight attendant Jiwoong An said, “At first, I was startled by the passenger’s severe respiratory distress, but calmly responding based on the training I had received was very helpful,” and expressed gratitude to the passengers who assisted onboard. He also pledged, “I will continue to carry out my duties with a strong sense of responsibility for in-flight safety and do my best.”

T'way Air continuously conducts various training programs to ensure the highest level of flight safety. Initial training for new flight attendants includes rapid emergency response training (CPR) for in-flight patient incidents, use of onboard emergency equipment (such as AEDs), and training for various situations including burns and fractures. Even after joining, regular emergency response education is conducted with in-house nurses serving as instructors to prepare for possible in-flight emergencies.

Additionally, to more effectively respond to emergencies that may occur during abnormal aircraft situations, T'way Air has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Fire Agency and continues to conduct safety training on in-flight fire suppression, emergency treatment, and emergency evacuation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.