Vietnamese doctor aids US passenger on HCMC flight

Photo courtesy of Dr Do Tien Hai

A Vietnamese doctor helped stabilise an American passenger who began vomiting blood aboard a Vietnam Airlines flight from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City, allowing the aircraft to continue safely without returning to the United States.

Passenger became ill shortly after departure

Dr Do Tien Hai, head of the Department of Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Microsurgery at the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology in Ho Chi Minh City, was travelling on flight VN99 on 5 August when the cabin crew requested medical assistance.

The American passenger, a man in his late 20s seated in business class, began vomiting food mixed with a significant amount of fresh blood more than an hour into the flight. Hai, who was returning from a month-long professional exchange at Johns Hopkins and Wake Forest hospitals, volunteered and worked with an American nurse who was also aboard.

Severe nosebleed identified as likely cause

Hai initially considered gastrointestinal bleeding, but the passenger reported no abdominal pain or other unusual digestive symptoms. The man indicated that blood was flowing from his right nostril into his mouth, leading the doctor to conclude that a severe nosebleed was the most likely cause.

The doctor said changes in cabin pressure can worsen bleeding from vessels near the front of the nasal cavity. Blood swallowed into the stomach may then cause nausea and vomiting, especially after eating. Hai and the nurse applied continuous pressure to the nostril, monitored the passenger's pulse and blood pressure, and used a cold compress.

The bleeding stopped after about 30 minutes and the passenger's vital signs stabilised. After consulting Hai, the crew decided that the aircraft did not need to turn back. The medical volunteers continued monitoring the man until the flight landed safely at Tan Son Nhat International Airport early on 7 August.

What it means for foreigners in Vietnam

For travellers, the incident shows the importance of alerting cabin crew immediately when serious symptoms develop. Hai advises anyone with a sudden nosebleed in flight to sit slightly forward and press the soft part of the nose; tilting the head backwards can send blood into the throat and stomach. Persistent, exceptionally heavy or repeated bleeding, or symptoms including dizziness, fatigue or breathing difficulty, require medical assessment. Travellers with known nasal conditions or illnesses that increase bleeding risk should seek personal medical advice before flying and keep essential medication accessible in cabin baggage.

13 August 2026