Calls for short-haul flights to carry defibrillators

A Dáil committee is awaiting a response from the Department of Transport and the Irish Aviation Authority (IIA) to its recommendation…

A Dáil committee is awaiting a response from the Department of Transport and the Irish Aviation Authority (IIA) to its recommendation that all short-haul flights be obliged to carry the same range of medical equipment as long-haul flights, including automatic external defibrillators and prescription medications.

The Oireachtas Transport Committee move was made following a hearing earlier this month and comes in the wake of the death of a young passenger on board a Ryanair flight from Italy to Dublin in September.

When Usha Massagrande, an Italian au pair in her mid-20s, became gravely ill on the Dublin-bound flight on September 22nd, a number of medically trained fellow passengers came to her aid and the plane was diverted to Belgium's Charleoi airport. Shortly after the plane touched down, however, she was pronounced dead having suffering from a pulmonary embolism.

The fellow passengers who had attempted to revive her - two nurses and a doctor - later criticised the absence of a resuscitation mask and equipment in the plane's first aid kit.

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In a subsequent statement, Ryanair said its first aid kid had been complete and described as "pointless" speculation as to whether any piece of medical equipment "could or would have averted this tragedy".

"What we are trying to get across is that at the very least there should be defibrillators on board every flight and that staff should be trained in their use," the chairman of the Oireachtas committee, John Ellis, told The Irish Times. "Sometimes you only have five minutes to save someone's life and no plane is going to be able to land at any airport in that time."

According to the European Joint Aviation Authority and the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), the first aid kits on board short-haul flights need to contain no more than an assortment of bandages and plasters, paracetamol, antacids, a respiration mask, latex gloves, anti-diarrhoea and travel sickness tablets and a nasal decongestant.

At present it is only when a plane is over one hour's flying time from an airport that it becomes necessary to carry a more extensive emergency medical bag containing prescribed medicines, more sophisticated equipment and - on many carriers including Aer Lingus - a defibrillator.

The IAA's Kevin Humphreys told the Oireachtas committee meeting earlier this month that Ms Massagrande had died from natural causes and he said the IIA did not believe there had been any shortfall in the medical kit on board the Ryanair flight.

He said all Irish airline operators were in compliance with its regulations and pointed out that Ryanair had been inspected more than 400 times both within and outside the jurisdiction so far this year and said there had been no reports of non-compliance with safety regulations.

Despite the complete compliance, Mr Ellis believes there is a case for defibrillators to be carried on board all flights.

"It is becoming more standard on US flights and the same thing should be happening here. It's not as if the defibrillators cost €50,000, weigh half a ton or are difficult to use," he said.

A US study has shown that 28 per cent of all plane diversions are caused by cardiac incidents. Neurological problems account for 20 per cent while food poisoning is also at 20 per cent.

Other listed reasons include severe bleeding, pregnant women going into unexpected labour and severe mental disturbances.