A feldsher from Sverdlovsk saved a young female passenger during a flight from Antalya.

      During a flight from Antalya a tragedy was narrowly avoided: a 22-year-old passenger fell ill mid-air. The woman was flying with her husband and a nursing infant when the plane entered an area of turbulence — she began to have a severe panic attack.

      "She went very pale, began to have difficulty breathing, her blood pressure fell to 70, and her pulse rose to 120 beats per minute. The crew started looking for a doctor, and a paramedic from the Artyomovskaya Central District Hospital came to help," the regional health ministry reported.

      The woman was assisted by Igor Stepanenko, a paramedic with 23 years of experience. He admitted that the situation was complicated by the absence of Russian-speaking staff and by the fact that the patient — a nursing mother — could not be given most medications.

      "I had to act myself with what was on hand. I laid her down in the aisle between the seats, calmed her, showed her how to breathe properly. I asked for strong tea with sugar, gave her a valerian tablet, and kept her distracted by talking until her condition stabilized," the medic said.

      Thanks to the paramedic's professionalism, the attack was brought under control. After landing, Elizaveta wrote a thank-you letter to the health ministry, thanking Igor Stepanenko for saving her.