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Airport in Istanbul
Photo: Mouneb Taim / imago images / INA Photo Agency
A passenger died on board a Pegasus plane from Istanbul to Hamburg last week.
A police spokesman has confirmed a corresponding report in the "Hamburger Abendblatt".
The investigators assume that the 51-year-old man, who comes from the Duchy of Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein, “died during the flight”.
In the meantime, it can be ruled out that the man had already been brought on board dead.
The plane landed last Wednesday at around 1 p.m.
When the passengers disembarked, the lifeless man was discovered.
"The man was traveling alone, he had a window seat," said the police spokesman.
Perhaps he had his head ajar and his eyes closed, which is why his death was not noticed during the trip - and he was taken for a sleeper, he said.
In addition, it was compulsory to wear a mask on the plane.
No autopsy
The "Abendblatt" reported that the man apparently had serious previous illnesses.
He was also infected with the corona virus.
According to the newspaper, coroners had detected the virus during a preliminary examination of the body.
The Hamburg health authority did not want to comment on the case on Monday for data protection reasons.
So far, it is unclear what consequences the corpse find will have on fellow travelers - in other words, whether they may now have to be in corona quarantine.
The police spokesman said that third-party negligence could be ruled out.
One assumes a natural cause of death, an autopsy did not take place.
He couldn't say why the man had traveled to Turkey and how long he stayed there.
ptz / apr / dpa
