FIR filed against Qatar Airways after vegetarian passenger dies allegedly served meat on flight

Doha (The Uttam Hindu) – The controversy surrounding the serving of non-vegetarian food on an international Qatar Airways flight has escalated. An 85-year-old vegetarian passenger died in the incident, prompting his family to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the airline.

Doctor dies on flight

The deceased has been identified as Dr. Ashok Jayasiri, a renowned cardiologist from California.

The incident occurred in July 2023 on a Qatar Airways flight from Los Angeles to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

According to reports, Jayasiri was refused vegetarian food by flight attendants and was told to "eat only non-vegetarian food." During the flight, he accidentally swallowed a piece of meat, which got stuck in his throat, leading to his death during the flight.

The airline claims the plane was over the Arctic Circle and the ocean at the time, making an emergency landing

impossible, reports The Independent. However, Dr. Jayasiri's son, Surya Jayasiri, alleges in the lawsuit that the plane was actually flying over the US Midwest, where a landing was possible. He also said that if the pilot had made a timely decision, his father's life could have been saved.

Death declared after three hours of unconsciousness

According to the complaint, Dr. Jayasiri was unconscious for approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes when the plane landed at Edinburgh Airport in Scotland. He was immediately taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The medical report stated that he died due to aspiration pneumonia—an infection caused by food or liquid inhaled into the lungs. Dr. Jayasiri's son, Surya, has accused the airline of negligence, inappropriate behavior, and failure to protect life.

"An airline that ignored religious and dietary preferences must be held accountable," he said in court, seeking compensation.

The case has now sparked debate about international aviation safety and passenger rights. Experts say airlines should respect passengers' religious, cultural, and dietary sensitivities, especially on long-haul flights.