A flight attendant suddenly passed away within minutes of boarding a plane at Reggio Calabria Airport, located southeast of Naples, Italy, over the weekend.
According to The Mirror, the flight attendant, identified as 57-year-old mother-of-three Gabriella Cario, was not feeling well as she waited to board the flight on Saturday, Sept. 14. She was traveling on ITA Airways flight 1156 bound for Rome Fiumicino.
Although she was visibly ill, Cario allegedly declined any medical attention. She wanted to get home to her husband and three sons in Sabaudia, near Latina, Italy.
However, her health quickly took a turn and she died within minutes, leaving passengers and her fellow crew members stunned.
All passengers were quickly removed from the aircraft as paramedics attempted to save the flight attendant’s life. Unfortunately, they were unable to revive her. Due to Cario’s death, the flight, as well as other flights, were delayed. The flight landed in Rome Fiumicino at 9 p.m. local time.
The cause of the flight attendant’s sudden death remains unknown. It has been reported to date as a “sudden illness.”
ITA Airways released a statement about the situation. “Our colleague, Gabriella Cario was off duty when she died last Saturday in Reggio Calabria (South Italy). She was returning home as a passenger and died on the plane before the flight from Reggio Calabria to Rome took off. The company is providing all possible support to her family.”
Speaking out about Cario’s passing, Sabaudia mayor Alberto Mosca, shared, “I knew Gabriella. She was a bright, always-smiling, and kind woman. On behalf of the administration and the entire community, I extend our heartfelt condolences to her husband and her beloved three children.”
Cario’s funeral reportedly took place in Sabaudia on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
A British Airways Flight Attendant Previously Died Onboard Plane
Cario’s sudden death comes just months after a British Airways flight attendant passed away while onboard a plane.
In Jan. 2024, the New York Post reported that the British Airways flight attendant had been onboard a 13-hour flight from London Heathrow to Hong Kong while it was departing on New Year’s Eve.
A passenger trained in first aid attempted to save the crew member, but he tragically died.
“Sadly, despite the best efforts of our crew, a patient was pronounced dead at the scene,” London Ambulance Service revealed in a statement to Metro UK.
The flight was delayed until the following day with different pilots and crew.
“Our thoughts are with our colleagues’ family and friends at this difficult time,” British Airways shared in a statement.
Another British Airways flight attendant died just days before in his hotel room. Both deceased flight attendants were described as “family men” by sources, leaving their families “in shock and disbelief.”