"Australian Couple Describes Traumatic Experience After Dead Body Placed Next to Them on Flight"

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, an Australian couple, have shared their distressing experience aboard a Qatar Airways flight where the body of a deceased passenger was placed beside them. Despite the shock of the situation, both expressed concern over the lack of support from the airline following the incident.

An Australian couple traveling on a Qatar Airways flight recently encountered a harrowing situation when the body of a deceased passenger was placed next to them. Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were en route to Venice from Melbourne when they witnessed a woman perish in the aisle beside them during the flight to Doha. According to their account to Australian media, the cabin crew placed the deceased passenger's body, which was covered with blankets, next to Mr. Ring without offering him the option to relocate, despite the presence of vacant seats nearby.

In an interview with Channel 9's A Current Affair, Mr. Ring detailed the tragic moment of the woman’s collapse, stating that while cabin crew promptly responded, they could not revive her, a scene he described as "heart-breaking." He explained that staff initially attempted to wheel the body towards business class but were unsuccessful due to the woman's size. Eventually, they turned to Mr. Ring and, noting empty seats, asked him to shift to accommodate the corpse.

Ms. Colin recounted her disbelief upon realizing her husband was being asked to move for the deceased body, questioning if the cabin crew genuinely planned to sit her there. Although she managed to shift to another vacant seat, Mr. Ring felt uncomfortable with the arrangement, expressing concern about support in such a traumatic situation.

After landing, the couple reported that passengers were instructed to remain seated while medical personnel and police boarded the aircraft, leading to further distress for Mr. Ring as he witnessed the deceased woman's face being uncovered. Both individuals criticized the airline for failing to contact them afterward or provide any form of support, raising questions about the protocols airlines should have in place for such distressing incidents.

Mr. Ring emphasized the necessity of care and accountability from airlines, requesting accountability and counseling to address the emotional impact of the experience. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways responded by expressing condolences to the deceased's family and apologized for any distress caused, stating they are currently reaching out to all affected passengers. A spokesperson from Qantas, the airline through which the couple booked their flight, affirmed that onboard incidents are managed by the operating airline—in this case, Qatar Airways.