A young woman has suddenly died while aboard an international Qantas flight from Melbourne.
Manpreet Kaur, a 24-year-old student who had moved to Australia in March 2020, was set to fly to Delhi, India on June 20 in a bid to see her family for the first time in four years.
She reported feeling unwell hours before she arrived at the airport however she boarded the flight with no issues until she began to put her seatbelt on.
“When she got on the plane, she was struggling to put her seatbelt on,” Ms Kaur’s friend Gurdip Grewal told the publication.
“Just before her flight started, she fell in front of her seat and died on the spot.”
The plane had not yet departed the gate when Ms Kaur slumped over with cabin crew and emergency services rushing to help.
Ms Kaur is believed to have died from tuberculosis, an infectious disease that often affects the lungs.
The student had been working at Australia Post while studying with the dream of eventually becoming a chef, her roommate told the Herald Sun.
“She was kind and honest,” her roommate said.
“She loved to travel with her friends around Victoria.”
More than $30,000 in funds have been raised for Ms Kaur’s family via a GoFundMe set up by Mr Grewal.
“Manpreet was a beloved student from our village, and her untimely passing at Melbourne Airport has left an unimaginable void in our hearts,” Mr Grewal said on the fundraiser’s page.
“As we grieve her loss, your contributions are helping us honor her memory and provide much-needed support to her family. Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to our goal.
“Please continue to share this fundraiser with your networks. Your support means so much to us and Manpreet’s family, helping them navigate through this challenging period. Thank you for your continued kindness and generosity.”