Noted psychiatrist reportedly dies during KLM flight from Paramaribo to Amsterdam

A passenger on a KLM aircraft that departed from Paramaribo, Suriname died midway through the flight. The deceased was identified as psychiatrist Rudi Dwarkasing by media outlets including Waterkant and Dagblad Suriname.

Dwarkasing was the medical director of the Suriname Psychiatric Center, and was specialized in treating elderly patients. He reportedly suffered a heart attack during the flight.

KLM flight number 714 departed Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport at about 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, and made an unscheduled landing about eight hours later in Shannon, Ireland at 4:22 a.m. "The passenger became seriously ill on board and unfortunately died afterwards," said an airline spokesperson to newswire ANP. His body was removed from the Boeing 777-300ER in Ireland and was transported to a mortuary.

The airline did not confirm details about the passenger’s identity due to privacy regulations. The Ministry of Public Health in Suriname was also waiting for more details and did not release a statement.

Airport records show KLM flight 714 departed Shannon at 6:30 a.m. local time. It landed in Amsterdam at 8:09 a.m., about 2 hours and 40 minutes later than scheduled.