Mumbai International Airport: No wheelchair support provided, 80-year-old dies

Mumbai (Maharashtra): An 80-year-old man collapsed and died of a heart attack at the Mumbai International Airport while proceeding to clear immigration by foot allegedly due to a lack of wheelchair support, police said on Friday.

Wheelchair Assistance Requested
According to officials, the elderly man, who was travelling with his wife, had booked tickets with wheelchair assistance for both on an Air India flight from New York to Mumbai on Monday.

Insufficient Wheelchair Assistance
After deboarding the flight, they were provided only one wheelchair assistant, which he asked his wife to opt for and chose to walk alongside.

Tragic Incident at Immigration Counter
While proceeding to clear immigration, he collapsed at the immigration counter, the police said.

According to the police, the man was then taken to the nearby Nanavati Hospital, where the doctor declared him dead.

Investigation and Legal Action
The deceased was of Indian origin and had an American passport. Sahar Police Station of Mumbai has registered a case under ADR, and further investigation is underway, the police said.

Air India's Response
Air India in a statement called the incident "unfortunate." "One of our guests flying from New York to Mumbai on 12th February fell ill while proceeding to clear immigration with his wife, who was in a wheelchair. Due to heavy demand for wheelchairs, we had requested the passenger to wait till he was also provided with wheelchair assistance but he opted to walk along with his spouse," the airline said in a statement.

"As advised by the airport doctor attending to him after taking ill, the passenger was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was declared to have passed away," the statement read.

(With ANI inputs)