American Airlines flight diverts to Turks and Caicos as passenger dies mid-air

The passenger, identified as 41-year-old Stefanie Smith, was rushed to a hospital in Turks and Caicos, where she was pronounced dead. The death of the female from Indiana, USA, left the family searching for answers.

2025-08-01 17:36:05

41-year-old Stefanie Smith who died on flight from Dominican Republic (PC - Facebook)

Dominican Republic: An American Airlines flight from the Dominican Republic to Charlottesville, Indiana, had to be diverted to Turks and Caicos as a passenger fell unconscious. The passenger, identified as 41-year-old Stefanie Smith, was rushed to a hospital in Turks and Caicos, where she was pronounced dead. The death of the female from Indiana, USA, left the family searching for answers. According to the reports, the victim’s brother, Chris Volz, has now revealed that the autopsy determined that the woman died because of natural causes. The family of the authorities was pleading with the authorities in Turks and Caicos to perform the autopsy at the earliest to make sure that no foul play was involved in her death. In an interview, her bother said that a forensic pathologist contacted the family to inform that Smith died because of carotid artery dissection in her neck. Volz further added that his family will be bringing back the body to the United States within this week. The sources disclosed that Smith spent five days vacationing in Punta Cana with her boyfriend and another couple in the last days of February. [caption id="attachment_69439" align="aligncenter" width="100%"]

41-year-old Stefanie Smith with her boyfriend[/caption] They had their flight on February 28, during which Smith felt uneasy and her boyfriend called for help which led to the flight officials diverting the flight and landing in Turks and Caicos but the female lost her life even before landing in the Caribbean island. Her boyfriend revealed that when he looked over at her, Smith’s head was tilted back in her seat and her eyes were rolled in the back of her head and he thought she was joking and added, “Next thing you know, she was convulsing.” The attendants on the flight also tried giving her CPR, but they were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Maria Yannotti, who accompanied Smith to the vacation said that she appeared to be perfectly healthy in the last five days and also took a run the morning she had her flight.

Monika Walker

Monika Walker is an experienced journalist specializing in global political developments and international relations. With a keen eye for accuracy and analysis, Monika has been reporting for over a decade, bringing stories to light that matter to readers around the world. She holds a degree in International Journalism and is passionate about giving a voice to underrepresented communities through factual reporting.