ITA Airways has confirmed that one of their flight attendants, Gabriella Cario, died on board a flight scheduled to depart from Reggio Calabria, Italy, for Rome. Cario, a 57-year-old mother of three, was off duty and traveling as a passenger when she passed away. The airline expressed their condolences to her family and stated they are providing full support.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Cario had been feeling unwell at the boarding gate but was determined to return home to her family in the Rome area. However, her condition worsened rapidly after boarding the aircraft, and she died within minutes.
Paramedics were unable to revive Cario, and all passengers were forced to disembark. The flight, normally scheduled for the late afternoon, did not depart from Naples until after 9 p.m. local time on Saturday night.
Alberto Mosca, the mayor of Cario’s hometown of Sabaudia, described her as a “bright, always-smiling, and kind woman.” He offered his condolences to Cario’s husband and children on behalf of the community.