A cabin crew member working onboard a flight from Honolulu to New York died mid-flight, Hawaiian Airlines confirmed.
Emile Griffith, a long-serving flight attendant for the airline, died on the almost 5,000-mile-long flight.
Flight HA50 departed Honolulu at 4.13pm local time, bound for New York JFK airport. The aircraft was carrying 253 passengers and had 12 crew onboard – one of which was Griffith.
It is believed Griffith, who had worked for Hawaiian for 31 years, died of a heart attack. The flight diverted to San Francisco, where it landed just after 11pm local time.
A San Francisco airport spokesperson, Doug Yakel, confirmed to NBC that medics had performed CPR onboard prior to landing at the airport.
“The San Mateo County Coroner declared the flight crew member deceased on arrival at SFO. Passengers were re-accommodated on other flights,” Yakel said.
All passengers were booked onto the next available flight and will be compensated, Hawaiian Airlines said in a statement.
“We are forever grateful for Emile’s colleagues and good Samaritans onboard who stayed by his side and provided extensive medical help,” said the statement from Hawaii’s flag carrier.
“Emile both loved and treasured his job at Hawaiian and always shared that with our guests. Our hearts are with Emile’s family, friends and all those fortunate to have known him.”
The airline has offered counselling to Griffith’s colleagues.
Earlier this month, a man died onboard a flight from Hong Kong to Auckland. The flight diverted to Cairns in Australia.
