A deadly incident took place aboard an American Airlines plane as one of the passengers died because of faulty equipment and personnel incompetence.

A woman who had heart disease couldn’t breathe normally and asked the flight attendant to give her oxygen. The flight attendant refused the woman’s request thus eliminating any chance of saving her life. She then tried to help the ailing woman, but used faulty equipment, including an empty oxygen tank, and couldn’t do anything to prevent the dramatic death.

The death was confirmed by the American Airlines. Medical professionals tried to rescue the woman with cardiac problems identified as Carine Desir, who was returning home to Brooklyn from Haiti.

Ms. Desir died of natural causes according to Ellen Borakove, spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office.

Desir had repeatedly complained about not feeling well. She was very thirsty on the Friday flight from Port-au-Prince after she ate a meal, said Oliver, a cousin who was traveling with her as well as her brother Joel Desir. She was given water by a flight attendant.

After drinking water, Desir complained about having trouble breathing and when she asked for oxygen the flight attendant refused. “Don’t let me die,” said Ms. Desir, according to Mr. Oliver.

After talking by telephone to the cockpit, the flight attendant finally decided to administer oxygen from a portable tank and mask, but the tank was empty. Fortunately, but not fortunately enough, there were two doctors and two nurses aboard the place, but as they tried to administer Desir oxygen from a second tank, they found out it was also empty.

Desir was placed on the floor, but the resuscitation attempts were futile, said Mr. Oliver according to the Associated Press.

Oliver asked for the plane to land as soon as possible. The pilot agreed and in 45 minutes landed in Miami, but before the plane had landed Ms. Desir was already dead.

“Her last words were, ‘I cannot breathe,’ ” Oliver said.