Air Charter Service recently arranged an Airbus A300 to transport the world’s heaviest woman, Eman Ahmed, from her native Egypt to Mumbai, India where she will receive life-saving surgery following an online fundraising campaign.
The 36 year old suffers from elephantiasis and had not been able to walk since the age of 11. As a child she also suffered a cerebral stroke, debilitating her further. And, according to the Help Save Eman online campaign, she suffered a stroke two years ago resulting in paralysis of her right arm and leg, she cannot speak, has type 2 diabetes, hypertension, has severe obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, gout and is at a very high risk of pulmonary embolism.
Air Charter Service arranged the transportation for her. Andrew Summers, Regional Director of ACS Middle East, Africa and India, said: “She is estimated to have weighed 500 kilograms, meaning that a cargo flight was necessary. The charter required a lot of organisation – we were working on the details for almost two months since receiving the initial request from a medical evacuation specialist.
“She had not left her home in Cairo for more than two decades due to her size, until two weeks ago. The walls of her house had to be partially demolished in order to winch her out and onto a truck to take her to Alexandria Airport. There she was met by a modified Egyptair Airbus 300-600 that we had arranged. Accompanied by two doctors and her sister, they arrived safely into Mumbai, where Eman was again lifted out of the aircraft by a crane onto a waiting truck. She was then driven to the hospital accompanied by a police escort and an emergency ambulance.
“We hear that she has already lost a significant amount of weight since arriving to the hospital last week and we are hoping that Eman will be able to receive the life-saving surgery in the coming weeks that she so desperately needs.
“We wish her all the best and hope that the operation is a success and that she will go on to lead a happier, healthier life.”
For more information, an interview or additional images please contact:
Glenn Phillips, PR & Advertising Manager
Tel: +44(0) 7799 692 629
Email: glenn.phillips@aircharterservice.com