Update: Massachusetts State Police said Monday that the man tested negative for coronavirus.

--------------

The body of a 59-year-old Worcester man who died on a flight from Dubai to Boston will be tested for coronavirus, Massachusetts State Police said.

Troopers were called around 12:30 p.m. Friday and were told a passenger was in cardiac arrest aboard Emirates Flight EK237 that left Dubai and was heading to Boston.

The Worcester man left Boston and headed to Chennai, India on March 4. He then had a layover in Dubai before his flight home, authorities said.

“The male had been sick with gastrointestinal problems for several days prior to and including the day of his death,” state police said. “According to his next-of-kin, the male did not have any pre-existing medical conditions.”

State police said the state medical examiner’s office will now test the man’s body for COVID-19 out of an abundance of caution. There were 322 passengers and 18 crew members on the Boeing 777.

Troopers, Boston EMS, and Massport Firefighters responded to Gate E11 at Boston’s Logan International Airport once the plane landed around 2:55 p.m. Friday. All the passengers were removed from the plane.

“At approximately 3 p.m. Boston EMS determined the passenger who had been ill was deceased,” state police said. “His cause and manner of death is pending autopsy results.”

Comment on this story on MassLive’s Facebook page

Related Content: