Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant Dies On Board Plane Headed To New York
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Hawaiian Airlines says a flight attendant died while working on a flight bound for New York City on Thursday.
Hawaiian Airlines Flight 50 was carrying 253 passengers and 12 crew members when it left Honolulu on course for JFK Airport. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in San Francisco after the flight attendant had "a suspected heart attack," San Francisco Airport spokesman Doug Yakel said.
Medical personnel attempted CPR during the flight, but suspended those efforts prior to landing. The San Mateo County coroner declared the crew member dead on arrival, Yakel said.
Hawaiian Airlines spokeswoman Ann Botticelli said Emile Griffith had been with the company for 31 years.
"Emile both loved and treasured his job at Hawaiian and always shared that with our guests," Botticelli said in a statement.
The airline has made counseling available for Griffith's colleagues, she said.
The passengers who landed in San Francisco five hours after takeoff were put on other flights after the incident, Yakel said.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)