New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
At approximately 12:30 p.m. Friday Massachusetts State Police at Troop F were notified that a passenger was in cardiac arrest aboard Emirates Flight EK237 enroute from Dubai to Boston. The passenger was a 59-year-old male from Worcester.
MSP Troopers, Boston EMS, and Massport Firefighters responded to Gate E11 to await arrival. Emirates EK237 arrived at approximately 2:55 p.m. and all other passengers exited the aircraft.
At approximately 3 p.m. Boston EMS determined the passenger who had been ill was deceased. His cause and manner of death is pending autopsy results.
Subsequent investigation by MSP Troop F and the State Police Detective Unit for Suffolk County, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, determined the following:
1. The male traveled from Boston to Chennai, India on March 4, 2020 and had a layover in Dubai prior to his return flight;
2. The male had been sick with gastrointestinal problems for several days prior to and including the day of his death;
3. According to his next-of-kin, the male did not have any pre-existing medical conditions.
In light of the man’s international travel, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in an abundance of caution will test for COVID-19 as part of its post-mortem examination. The State Police investigation remains open while we await those autopsy results.
State Police investigators obtained a flight manifest for Emirates EK237 as part of the ongoing investigation. The manifest appears to indicate approximately 322 passengers and 18 crew members were aboard the plane, a Boeing 777.
COVID-19 symptoms generally involve fever, sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, and ultimately severe chest congestion.
Members of the public can learn more about COVID-19 by going to www.mass.gov/coronavirus
Information on the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information about the novel coronavirus outbreak.www.mass.gov
