‘Strict vegetarian’ dies after ‘eating around’ meat wrongly served to him during flight

A 'strict vegetarian' man allegedly died after choking to death on a non-vegetarian meal during a Qatar Airways flight.

The incident reportedly took place on 1 August, 2023, when 85-year-old Asoka Jayaweera was allegedly served the dish and was instructed to 'eat around' the meat, per a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his son, Surya.

The Southern California cardiologist was flying with Qatar Airways from Los Angeles to Sri Lanka when he was denied the vegetarian meal he had ordered.

According to a newly filed wrongful death lawsuit obtained by the Independent - and published in a report on Monday (6 October) - the pilot couldn’t make an emergency landing to get Jayaweera to a doctor because the plane was 'travelling over the Arctic Circle/Ocean'.

'Strict vegetarian' man Asoka Jayaweera allegedly died after choking to death on a non-vegetarian meal during a Qatar Airways flight in 2023 (hasan zaidi / Getty Images)

According to the complaint, which was initially filed on 31 July, 2024, and later moved to a US federal court in October, Jayaweera had specifically requested a vegetarian meal when booking his ticket on 23 June, 2023.

However, during the flight, around two and a half hours after takeoff, flight attendants reportedly told him that no vegetarian meals were available and advised him to 'eat around the meat' in a regular meal.

While trying to comply, Jayaweera began choking. However, it has not been specified what exactly caused the obstruction.

The crew initiated emergency aid and contacted MedAire, a medical support service that provides remote guidance to flight crews, and, despite administering oxygen, the passenger's oxygen saturation dropped to 69%, which is far below the safe level of 88%.

His oxygen levels never exceeded 85% again, and he lost consciousness around 07:30 UTC.

The 85-year-old passenger's son Surya, has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Qatar Airways (Boarding1Now / Getty Images)

The lawsuit alleges that, although the aircraft was flying over Wisconsin at the time, the flight crew informed a companion that an emergency diversion was impossible because the plane was 'already over the Arctic Circle' and about to cross the ocean.

Surya’s legal team has since disputed such a claim, asserting the flight could have landed in the Midwest to seek emergency care.

After several hours, the plane eventually diverted and landed in Edinburgh, Scotland, around 11:00 UTC - roughly 3.5 hours after Asoka had lost consciousness. He was transported to a local hospital but was declared dead on 3 August, with doctors attributing his death to aspiration pneumonia, caused by inhaling food into the lungs.

The complaint in question outlines that Qatar Airways offers 19 special meal types, seven of which are vegetarian, including vegan, Jain, Hindu, and lacto-ovo options. It argues that the airline’s failure to provide the correct meal and its alleged refusal to divert the plane in a timely manner directly led to Jayaweera's tragic passing.

The lawsuit cites the Montreal Convention, which governs international airline liability and caps compensation for onboard deaths at approximately $175,000. However, Surya Jayaweera is seeking damages exceeding that limit, as well as court costs, attorneys’ fees, and pre-judgement interest, claiming gross negligence and mishandling by Qatar Airways staff.

Tyla has reached out to Qatar Airways for comment.