A routine charter flight to Prague ended in tragedy on Tuesday evening when a female passenger died shortly after the aircraft landed at Václav Havel Airport.

The incident occurred on a Smartwings flight arriving from Boa Vista, one of Cape Verde’s main tourist islands.

The plane touched down shortly before 10 p.m. local time after a flight lasting more than six hours. Disembarkation had not yet begun when the woman collapsed onboard.

According to the Czech Foreigners’ Police, preliminary findings suggest the woman died from natural causes. Authorities said there was no indication of a technical malfunction, turbulence-related injury, or other flight-related incident. Her exact age has not been officially confirmed.

Emergency responders and airport medical staff were called to the aircraft immediately after the situation was reported. Despite attempts to provide assistance, the woman could not be revived.

The death occurred before she was transferred to ground services assisting passengers with reduced mobility.

Other passengers remained onboard during the intervention. Airport operations were not disrupted beyond a brief delay related to the aircraft’s handling on the apron.

Smartwings later confirmed the incident and expressed condolences to the woman’s family. The airline stated that its crew followed standard emergency procedures and cooperated fully with airport authorities and medical services.

Medical experts note that long-haul travel can place strain on the body due to cabin pressure, dehydration, immobility, and fatigue. In some cases, these factors may contribute to acute medical events, even when no prior health issues are known.

An official medical report is expected to clarify the exact cause of death in the coming days.

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