A man aboard a Southwest Airlines flight bound for Los Angeles from Dallas died after experiencing a medical emergency mid-flight Friday morning when the passenger went into medical distress and became unresponsive.
Flight No. 958 to Los Angeles International Airport was in the air Friday morning when a passenger went into medical distress and became unresponsive, and CPR was administered to the man during the flight and medics responded to the plane upon its arrival in Los Angeles.
The Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as 22-year-old Rain McMillan Walmsey.
The man was unable to be revived and firefighters confirmed the passenger had died.
Crew members and good Samaritans aboard the aircraft worked desperately to revive Walmsey during the flight, performing chest compressions as the plane continued toward Southern California’s coast.
It’s unclear what kind of medical emergency the man experienced.
His cause of death remains under investigation.
Emergency personnel were standing by on the tarmac when the aircraft touched down at LAX, but resuscitation attempts proved unsuccessful once the plane landed.
In a statement, Southwest Airlines confirmed a “medical incident involving a customer” occurred on flight No. 958.
The airline provided no additional details regarding the nature of the medical event or the circumstances surrounding the passenger’s collapse.
Paramedics and firefighters rushed to meet the aircraft immediately upon landing, but their efforts to restore the passenger’s heartbeat and breathing were unsuccessful.
The identity of the deceased passenger remained unknown for hours after the incident, with authorities withholding his name pending family notification.
Walmsey’s cause of death is pending the results of medical examination and investigation.
Formal pronouncement of death was made on Friday.