In a heartrending incident on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Delhi, 24-year-old culinary student Manpreet Kaur tragically passed away before the plane could take off. Scheduled to visit her family for the first time in over four years, Manpreet’s journey was cut heartbreakingly short.
According to Gurdip Grewal, a friend of Manpreet, she had been feeling unwell before boarding the aircraft and struggled with her seatbelt as she got on the plane. Tragically, Grewal recounted to the Herald Sun, “Just before her flight started, she fell in front of her seat and died on the spot.”
The incident profoundly impacted fellow passenger Ravinder Singh, who shared his experience with News.com.au. He recalled how Manpreet was engrossed in a photograph on her phone, which he learned was of her parents. As the plane readied for takeoff, something seemed amiss. Ravinder noticed Manpreet had leaned forward to rest her head on the seat in front. Concerned, he attempted to rouse her when the plane jerked, but she was unresponsive, prompting him to urgently summon the cabin crew.
Ravinder recounted the haunting memory: “It is very difficult to digest that a young girl with whom you were just interacting has passed away in front of your eyes. Her innocent face still haunts me, and I want her parents to know she loved them a lot. She left this world peacefully looking at their photograph.”
Following the tragic event, it was reported by the Herald Sun that Manpreet’s cause of death was tuberculosis. In response to the immense loss, Gurdip Grewal initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist Manpreet’s grieving family. The fundraiser page states, “Our dear friend Manpreet left us too soon, leaving a void in our lives that can never be filled. As we grieve her passing, we want to come together to honor her memory and support her family in their time of need. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our goal. Your support means the world to us and Manpreet’s family.”
A spokesperson for Qantas expressed the airline’s condolences, stating, “Our thoughts are with [Manpreet’s] family and loved ones.” UNILAD has reached out to Qantas for further comment on this tragic occurrence.