An 8-year-old Missouri girl has died suddenly after suffering from an “unknown illness” while her family was flying to Chicago for vacation.
Sydney Weston, described as a “beautiful light”, was flying SkyWest Flight 5121 when it died of an unknown “medical emergency”.
The commercial flight made an emergency landing, but the toddler was confirmed dead when the flight grounded.
Little Sydney received “aggressive resuscitation efforts” after falling ill mid-flight, officials said.
Sydney, from Carl Junction, Mo., was traveling with her parents Whitney and Dan, and her older brother Evan, with her maternal grandmother Teri Carlson, posted a tribute to her granddaughter on Facebook.
The post prompted others to leave their thoughts and prayers for the eight-year-old boy.
One sign read: “She was a treasure… still not real.
“I don't know that it ever will be. My love and hugs are with you all.”
Another user added: “What a beautiful light.
“My heart is so broken for you and your family.”
The flight was operated in partnership with United Airlines, which left Joplin, Missouri, at 6 a.m. Thursday.
The plane was headed to Chicago when it diverted to Peoria, Illinois, about 45 minutes after takeoff.
The girl became ill and then became unresponsive before the flight made an emergency landing.
When the plane landed, it was confirmed that he had tragically died of an “unknown illness”.
The Peoria County Sheriff's Office said, “When the plane landed, deputies, AMT personnel and Air National Guard fire personnel immediately received the 8-year-old girl and began rescue measures
“The girl was transported to a local hospital by AMT where she was unfortunately pronounced dead.
“Please keep the boy's family and everyone involved in this traumatic experience in your thoughts and prayers.”
The coroner's office said the boy suddenly became unresponsive during the flight.
The Peoria County Coroner's Office revealed that although emergency workers tried to save her life, she was later pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.
A statement from the coroner's office continued:
“His family immediately notified the flight staff in his state and they quickly began providing assistance.
“He was not breathing and had no pulse,” the statement said, referring to when the plane made an emergency landing in Peoria.
According to the coroner's office, Weston was pronounced dead at OSF Healthcare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria at 8:05 a.m. despite “aggressive resuscitation efforts.”
The actual cause of Sydney's death has not been revealed.
The flight was operated by SkyWest, which operates through partnerships with United, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
A SkyWest spokesperson said:
“We appreciate the efforts of our crew members who responded quickly to assist and the medical personnel who met the aircraft.”
Flight 5121 took off back to Chicago before 1pm on Thursday.
It comes after a 41-year-old American man died earlier this week while flying on a Fiji Airways trip from Nadi, Fiji, to San Francisco.
According to a statement from the airline, the unidentified man “encountered an illness” on Fiji Airways flight FJ780.
The plane was 90 minutes from San Francisco International Airport when the passenger died suddenly.
Despite the efforts of the on-board doctor and cabin crew, the man did not survive.
The Airbus crew declared a medical emergency, according to FlightAware.
They then made a safe landing at San Francisco International Airport at 2:34 p.m
The actual cause of the passenger's death was not made public.
READ MORE – YouTube star Ben 'Comicstorian' Potter dies suddenly at 40
English 
Español de Venezuela 