'DVT to blame' for jet passenger death

SINGAPORE -- Deep vein thrombosis or DVT is suspected to have caused the death of a 28-year-old British woman during a flight from Singapore to London last week, a Singaporean newspaper has reported.

The Straits Times reported Monday that the woman on a Singapore Airlines flight may have died from the condition sometimes referred to as "economy class syndrome", in which blood clots form in the legs.

The woman was identified as Alayne Wake.

IN-DEPTH Economy class syndrome

A statement from Singapore Airlines, which did not name the woman, said she collapsed and died December 20 shortly before flight SQ322 was due to arrive at London's Heathrow Airport.

A doctor, nurse and paramedic who were passengers on the flight tried to save the woman, the airline said.

Oxygen was administered and the aircraft's medical equipment was used but she could not be revived.

The statement said the woman was a frequent flyer and presumably healthy. Airline officials said they could not confirm how the woman died and were waiting for the report from a coroner in London.

Damage claims

The Straits Times, without identifying a source, said a report being prepared for the coroner listed deep vein thrombosis as the cause of death.

The paper also said relatives suspected a blood clot was the cause.

"I only hope that people will now realize that economy class syndrome hits not only old people," it quoted the woman's father, Kevin Wake, as saying. "Alayne was young and she was healthy."

The Straits Times said Wake was from Sunderland, in northern England, and had lived and worked in Singapore for 18 months.

She had planned to spend Christmas with her father, sister and grandmother, it said.

Reports of passengers dying from clots after long flights have mounted recently, leading to speculation that cramped airplane seating could be to blame.

In Australia, 2,700 passengers are seeking damages from airlines after suffering blood clots.

However, most experts do not think the problem is related to airplane conditions, but rather to the fact that passengers stay still for too long.

The British government recently advised passengers on long flights to perform simple leg exercises and get up and walk around when possible to reduce the risk of developing blood clots in their legs.