Jaipur, January 6, 2026: A one-year-old child travelling on an Air India Express flight from Jaipur to Bengaluru tragically died on Tuesday evening after suffering a severe medical emergency mid-air that forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport in Indore.
Flight IX1240, which departed Jaipur around 5:30 pm and was scheduled to land in Bengaluru later at night, was diverted to Indore after the infant developed acute breathing difficulties while airborne.
According to sources, the child, identified as Mohammed Abrar, was reportedly unwell even before boarding the flight. A flight attendant noticed the child’s distress when his mother began crying during the journey, prompting cabin crew to provide immediate assistance. An onboard passenger, who was a doctor, also offered medical help, but the infant’s condition continued to deteriorate.
With the situation worsening, the pilots declared a medical emergency and sought priority clearance for an emergency landing at Indore around 8 pm. Upon landing, ground medical personnel and an ambulance were ready to attend to the child, who was taken to a nearby hospital. However, despite rapid medical intervention, the infant was declared dead on arrival.
Air India Express has offered condolences to the bereaved family. Authorities are reportedly reviewing the incident to assess the circumstances surrounding the inflight medical emergency and ensure all standard procedures were followed.
Officials have yet to confirm the exact cause of the infant’s breathing collapse, and further details are awaited as investigations continue.