{
  "id": 3939233,
  "title": "'Save him, please save him': SIA cabin crew perform CPR for 20 minutes to save passenger with no pulse, win service excellence award",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/save-him-please-save-him-sia-cabin-crew-perform-cpr-for-20-minutes-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T10:42:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mothership",
    "slug": "mothership",
    "url": "https://mothership.sg/2026/08/sia-cabin-crew-cpr/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On October 13, 2025, a Singapore Airlines flight from Barcelona to Singapore was preparing to depart when a passenger suddenly fell unconscious. Serene Koh, a 48-year-old cabin crew member, rushed to the scene upon learning of the incident. The elderly man was unresponsive, not breathing, and had no pulse. His wife, sitting beside him, pleaded with the staff to save her husband, describing her desperation to them.\n\nKoh, drawing on her years of experience as an SIA cabin crew member, quickly initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the passenger. Her crew called for medical assistance, provided oxygen, and informed the in-flight manager, Kueh Joo Tong, 57. Together, they performed 20 minutes of CPR, alternating with the efforts of two medical doctors and additional first-aiders. They also delivered two shocks using an automated external defibrillator (AED). The process was physically demanding, and they prayed for the man's survival throughout.\n\nKueh noted that their training and preparation had paid off, as their actions appeared almost automatic. After their efforts, the man's pulse returned, albeit faint. He was breathing, though he remained unresponsive. The team swiftly arranged for his transfer to the hospital, clearing his immigration and offloading his baggage to facilitate the process. The flight departed only one hour behind schedule, despite the harrowing ordeal.\n\nIt was only a month later that Koh and Kueh learned the true cause of the man's health crisis. He had experienced an arrhythmia, and his heart had stopped during the flight. If not for the crew's swift action, the outcome could have been fatal. Following the incident, the man underwent surgery to insert a stent and is now recovering well.\n\nOn August 28, both Koh and Kueh will be honored with a Fusion Award at the Singapore Airlines CEO Service Excellence Awards ceremony. Koh described it as \"the greatest honor\" and expressed gratitude that their training enabled them to save a life. Both crew members have dedicated decades to SIA, with Koh having served for 26 years and Kueh for 34 years; this marks the first time they have received an award for their service. However, they remain grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.",
  "summary": "Close call.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Straits Times",
        "title": "3 members of SIA cabin crew lauded for helping to resuscitate passenger with no pulse",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/3-members-of-sia-cabin-crew-lauded-for-helping-to-resuscitate",
        "published": "2026-08-28T06:45:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}