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News Topical, Digital Desk : Dr. Ashoka Jayaweera, an 85-year-old vegetarian passenger, died after suffocating on a Qatar Airways flight due to the non-vegetarian food.
He had ordered a vegetarian meal but was served non-vegetarian food. The incident occurred on June 30, 2023, during a 15.5-hour flight from Los Angeles to Colombo. Dr. Jayaweera's son has now filed a lawsuit against Qatar Airways.
Dr. Jayaweera, a retired cardiologist from Southern California, was advised by a flight attendant to eliminate meat from his non-vegetarian diet. This resulted in his tragic death.
Dr. Jayaweera had specifically ordered a vegetarian meal, but the flight attendant said no such meal was available. Instead, he was served a non-vegetarian meal.
While trying to remove the flesh and eat it, Dr. Jayaweera choked and lost consciousness. The flight crew attempted to render assistance and MedAir's remote medical advisors were contacted, but his condition continued to deteriorate.
Qatar Airways sued for negligence
The flight finally landed in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dr. Jayaweera was then taken to the hospital. He died on August 3, 2023. The cause of death was reported as aspiration pneumonia, a serious lung disease caused by inhaling food or liquids. His son, Surya Jayaweera, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Qatar Airways, alleging negligence in the meal service and medical emergency.
The lawsuit seeks $128,821 in damages, the statutory minimum for wrongful death and negligence. The lawsuit cites the Montreal Convention, which establishes strict liability for airlines for injuries or death resulting from accidents on international flights. The Convention provides for a maximum compensation of $175,000.
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