‘Out of order’ defibrillator sparks anger after death at King Shaka International Airport

A Glen Hills, KZN, resident has expressed shock, outrage and despair over the death of a passenger in the domestic arrivals area at King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) on Saturday.

Lauren Shaw, a passenger on the day, witnessed the tragedy unfold and says a piece of life-saving equipment was marked ‘out of order’ at the domestic arrivals carousel.

The automated external defibrillator (AED) for emergencies was marked with a printed-out ‘out of order’ sign.

Shaw took to social media to call out the airport and express her disappointment in how the matter was handled.

“There was no clear emergency plan in place, and passengers were standing around the crisis. Two passengers were absolutely incredible at taking over the scene, administering CPR and doing all that they could do for the traveller. They deserve public recognition for their bravery and effort and for the heartbreak,” she said in a Facebook post, which has been widely shared.

Speaking to Northglen News, Shaw asked why a piece of life-saving equipment was not replaced.

“We pay airport taxes; surely, this goes into the maintenance and insuring of medical equipment. I would also question why there is just one in the domestic arrivals section. I must commend the passengers who tried to save a life, but this situation has left me horrified and in despair,” she says.

In a statement, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) acknowledged that the AEDs at KSIA are out of order.

“The installed AED model has been discontinued, and ACSA is in the process of procuring new models. To mitigate any possible risks, our medical response strategy has had to be revised to ensure that we are able to swiftly respond to emergencies within the airport,” ACSA spokesperson Ernest Mulibana said.

“In this regard, ACSA has contracted ER24 to provide services for a fully equipped ambulance and paramedics team. ER24 is the primary response to stabilise and resuscitate persons in need at the airport, and they transfer them to nearby hospitals for further treatment. The services are comprised of basic life support and intermediate life support, as well as advanced life support on an ad hoc basis.”

Mulibana added that ER24 responded to the incident in line with Civil Aviation Regulations.

He said the airport terminal is equipped with first aid boxes, and appointed first aiders are available throughout the facility.