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Air India First Officer Dies of Heart Attack During Bali Layover

The case is fueling calls to strengthen pilot health screening to catch silent heart disease.

Overview

  • Air India confirmed Wednesday that a first officer in his early 40s suffered a heart attack during hotel rest in Bali after a Delhi flight and died despite treatment at a nearby hospital.
  • The airline said he had recently passed required medical exams, had no known conditions, was within flying‑hour limits, and it expressed condolences to his family.
  • Medical experts quoted in coverage said routine pilot checks can miss early or symptom‑free heart disease because advanced tests such as stress tests and coronary calcium scans are not standard.
  • Reports noted that irregular sleep, long duty periods, and frequent time‑zone shifts in pilot schedules can add strain on the heart over time.
  • No investigation findings have been released, and attention has turned to DGCA rules in India and what pilot medicals include, such as ECGs and blood‑pressure checks.