A tragic incident has surfaced involving an 85-year-old “strictly vegetarian” passenger who reportedly died mid-air after being served a non-vegetarian meal on a Qatar Airways flight. The family has now filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the airline, alleging negligence and failure to provide the requested meal.
The incident occurred in July 2023 on a Los Angeles-to-Colombo flight. The deceased, identified as Dr. Asoka Jayaweera, a cardiologist from California, allegedly choked while attempting to eat meat from the meal served to him. According to The Independent, when he requested a vegetarian meal, the crew allegedly told him to “eat around” the non-vegetarian items.
The family claims that despite the medical emergency, the aircraft did not make an emergency landing. Qatar Airways initially stated that the flight could not divert because it was “flying over the Arctic Circle or ocean.” However, the complaint filed by Jayaweera’s son, Surya Jayaweera, argues that the plane was actually over the U.S. Midwest — making an emergency landing possible.
By the time the aircraft reached Edinburgh, Scotland, Dr. Jayaweera had been unconscious for over three hours. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.
Medical reports indicate that Dr. Jayaweera died from aspiration pneumonia — a condition caused by food or liquid entering the lungs.
The lawsuit filed in California accuses Qatar Airways of negligence and wrongful death, claiming that the airline’s failure to accommodate his dietary restrictions and its delayed emergency response led to his tragic demise.
