Cuenca airport passenger dies on aircraft before departure

An elderly woman died inside an aircraft at the Mariscal La Mar Airport in Cuenca on Sunday, September 13, 2026, while preparing for a flight to Guayaquil. The passenger, reported to be approximately 78 to 80 years old, became unconscious shortly before the scheduled 07:25 departure.

Following the emergency, the Cuenca Airport Corporation (Corpac) activated established safety protocols, requiring all passengers to disembark and return to the waiting area. The passenger's daughter alerted the ECU911 emergency service after her mother lost consciousness. National Police and personnel from the National Directorate of Investigation of Crimes Against Life (Dinased) attended the scene to conduct investigations.

A medical professional confirmed the woman had no vital signs. Authorities are currently treating natural causes as the primary hypothesis for the death. The flight to Guayaquil was rescheduled for 19:25 that evening.