Firefighter Saves Korean Woman in Her 40s on Honeymoon Return Flight

Patient Collapses on Return Flight... Quick Assessment of Condition
Airway Obstruction Identified, Breathing Restored in 15 Minutes

Jeong Muung, Firefighter at Ttangkkeut 119 Safety Center, Haenam Fire Station. Haenam Fire Station

It has been reported that a firefighter saved the life of a Korean woman in her 40s on a plane bound for Korea after her honeymoon.

According to the Ttangkkeut 119 Safety Center at the Haenam Fire Station, Fire Lieutenant Woong Jungmu, who works as an emergency medical technician, boarded a flight from Sydney, Australia to Incheon on February 14, 2026, after his honeymoon.

About five minutes before takeoff, he noticed that the flight attendants became busy. This was because a Korean woman, believed to be in her 40s, lost consciousness and collapsed with seizure symptoms, prompting the crew to prepare for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Lieutenant Jungmu immediately checked the patient's pulse and identified that she was not in cardiac arrest, but was experiencing an airway obstruction. He prioritized securing her airway over chest compressions. When jaw stiffness from the seizure made airway management difficult, he used the jaw thrust maneuver to open her airway.

With the assistance of a nurse who was also on board, he monitored the patient's condition and inserted an oropharyngeal airway to stabilize her breathing.

Thanks to these swift actions, the patient regained consciousness in about five minutes. After another 15 minutes, she made a full recovery, was placed in a wheelchair, and was handed over to the airport medical team.

Lieutenant Woong Jungmu said, "Any emergency medical technician would have acted the same in that situation. I feel a great sense of fulfillment as an EMT for being able to save a life at the end of my honeymoon."

Haenam Fire Station Chief Park Chunchun stated, "This was a miracle made possible by the sense of duty of firefighters who dedicate themselves to the safety of the people, even during off-duty hours or vacations. We will continue to do our utmost to protect lives based on our professional emergency response capabilities."

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