Flight attendant drops dead in front of passengers after feeling unwell, ignored medical help

A flight attendant dropped dead in front of passengers as they boarded a flight to Rome. Photo / Suhyeon Choi, Unsplash

A flight attendant dropped dead in front of mortified passengers as they boarded a domestic flight in Italy.

Gabriella Cario, 57, was feeling unwell while waiting at the boarding gate at Reggio Calabria Airport, just south of Naples.

However, the mother of three decided not to seek medical assistance at the time as she wanted to return home to Rome to see her husband and children.

As she boarded the plane, as a passenger, her condition deteriorated rapidly and she died within minutes in front of terrified colleagues and passengers.

Paramedics were rushed on to the plane but they weren’t able to revive Cario.

ITA Airways flight 1156 bound for Rome Fiumicino was postponed to the evening following the death, causing delays to other flights.’

The cause of Cario’s death is not yet known and has only been reported to date as a “sudden illness.”

She worked as a flight attendant for ITA Airways.

The Mayor of Sabaudia, where Cario’s funeral will be held overnight, said: “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.”