French physio died on Belarusian plane

The tragedy occurred on March 15 when the capital was affected by the snowstorm Xavier. The French Greco-Roman wrestling team was returning to Paris from Minsk on a "Belavia" airplane.

“Our plane was the last one allowed to take off during the snowstorm. We had a hard take-off, the plane was shaking," a witness said. "It was clear that the man felt unwell before the boarding. He was being helped while getting off the bus and boarding. He felt even worse in the air and went to the WC a few times. He kept leaning against the seats while walking.

The coach ran up to the WC just before the landing in Paris. He called the other sportsmen. Something had happened.  

It was time to land and the stewardesses asked everyone to take their seats and to leave the WC. The toilet door was opened by force and he was laid in the aisle. I do not know whether he was dead or it could still be helped. One of the passengers was a doctor and he came to help. The stewardesses kept looking for an oxygen mask and could not find any. The loudspeaker was telling them: "Look here, look there." They found a mask after a dozen attempts. But then they started looking for an oxygen flask. He had stopped breathing and needed an oxygen cushion. There was no equipment on board. When the plane landed in the airport Charles de Gaulles, local doctors had already been waiting for it. But it was too late."

Euroradio: Do you think that they spent too much time looking for resuscitation equipment?

Witness: “I think that they failed to administer first aid. And they did not have the equipment. I took a plane to Vienna a week later. It was a "Belavia" flight but the crew were foreign. A young man had an epileptic fit and the stewardesses were just as helpless."

Physical therapist  Philippe Gangloff had worked with the French team for over 10 years. He had health problems and the team knew about it. Philippe felt bad a few days before his death in "Staiki". But the man though that it would be okay and decided to go home.

Philippe Gangloff's tragic death (to the left) shocked French wrestlers. He was a high-class specialist and was allowed to work with the team regardless of his health problems.

 “He died five minutes before the landing. He had a heart attack. He had health problems before. And he was a diabetic," Belarusian Greco-Roman wrestling team coach Alyaksandr Kazouski said.

Euroradio: Why did the French take him with them to "Staiki" if he was ill?

Alyaksandr Kazouski: “He felt fine when he arrived. But his health condition deteriorated in the last few days. He did not ask for medical assistance although his insurance allowed it."

"Belavia" has not commented on the French doctor's death. But the information is not secret, the company stressed. "Belavia" has promised to answer whether first aid equipment is available on its planes within the next few days.     

Photo:  French Wrestling Federation archives