Flight diverted to Houston when woman dies onboard plane

January 3, 2013 (HOUSTON) -- An airplane passenger was dead upon arrival to Bush Intercontinental Airport Wednesday morning.

A spokesperson with the Houston Police Department confirms that a 25-year-old Brazilian woman died during a flight from Sao Paulo, and her death is now under investigation.

American Airlines Flight 962 left Sao Paulo, Brazil, at 1:15 a.m. local time, bound for Dallas. The flight arrived at about 6:20 a.m. to Houston's IAH airport gate D7 in the international terminal.

The plane was diverted to Houston due to an ill passenger, according to an airline spokesperson. The woman died before the flight arrived in Houston.

American Airlines did not share any details about the nature of the woman's illness. Police say the woman went into medical distress about eight hours into the flight. Members of the flight crew, aided by a physican who happened to be on board, performed emergency medical procedures.

The medical examiner's office took custody of the woman's body. She was taken to the morgue where an autopsy will be performed to determine her cause of death. The woman's name has not been released.

HPD investigators interviewed other passengers, and at about 9:25 a.m. the plane continued on to Dallas. The Boeing 777 carried 220 passengers and 14 crew members.

There were no apparent signs of trauma nor any indication of foul play.

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national/world, katie mccall

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