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Passenger who died on Paris flight to Boston likely had medical episode: Police

Air France said a doctor on board the flight from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport tried to help the ill passenger, but they "couldn't be rescued."

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Massachusetts State Police are investigating the death of a person aboard an Air France plane flying to Boston from Paris.

A passenger who died on board an Air France plane to Boston from Paris likely experienced a medical emergency, Massachusetts State Police said Wednesday.

Police initially described the death as unattended. While the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death, investigators said it appears she died from a medical episode during the flight.

The victim has been identified as Kansas Air National Guard member Barbara Dipoli, 53, of Topeka.

The airline shared a statement to NBC News on Tuesday night:

Air France confirms that a customer on flight AF334 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Boston on 14 January 2025 was taken ill during the flight. Despite the assistance of a doctor on board, the customer couldn’t be rescued. Air France reminds that its crew members are regularly trained to handle these kinds of situations.

Air France regrets this sad event and expresses its sincere condolences.

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