Haitian Woman Dies on American Airlines Flight

I know by now many might have heard the story of Carine Desir, the 44 year old woman who died on he way from Haiti to New York on American Airlines. Desir had heart disease and diabetes, and was having trouble breathing. A pediatrician who said he tried to use the plane's defibrillator on her as she faded, but her pulse was already too weak for it to work.

The doctor, Joel Shulkin, was one of several medical professionals who stepped in after flight attendants asked if any were on board. Shulkin said through his attorney, Justin Nadeau, that two emergency medical technicians performed CPR on Desirc. The family states she had stated earlier she was thirsty. A flight attendant brought her some water. Desir, herself a nurse, said she was having trouble breathing and asked for oxygen, Oliver (her nephew) said. "Don't let me die," he recalled her saying. He claims the first oxygen tank was empty and a second one tried, (with the same results). Shulkin stated the defibrillator was working properly.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires commercial flights to carry no fewer than two oxygen dispensers. This flight had 12. FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette said the agency's Federal Air Surgeon's office plans to discuss Desir's death with officials at Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp. I am concerned because I want to know that even though I thousands of miles up in the air that if I might need oxygen or some simple medical procedure that if their is no one qualified onboard to do the procedure, that the plane should be landed quickly.

Source: NewYork Daily News