E-Paper
Who was Irfan Ali Mirza? British Airways flight attendant, 45, found dead in San Francisco hotel room
Irfan Ali Mirza had arrived in San Francisco on a flight from London Heathrow on Tuesday and was staying in a crew hotel there.
A British Airways flight attendant was reportedly discovered dead in his hotel room in San Francisco. 45-year-old Irfan Ali Mirza failed to report to duty on Thursday, April 17, following which concerns were raised. He had arrived in San Francisco on a flight from London Heathrow on Tuesday and was staying in a crew hotel there. There was a two-day layover before the return journey.
Hotel managers found Mirza dead on the bed after unlocking his room and entering it. His body was taken by the medical examiner, and responding officers' investigation of the scene "did not discover any evidence of foul play,” police said, according to The Mirror.
Who was Irfan Ali Mirza?
Mirza, a father of three, was from London and is believed to have worked in the industry for more than 20 years, the outlet reported. According to MailOnline, the youngest of his children was a baby born last year.
A source previously told The Sun, “The steward was a popular member of the team and this came as a bolt from the blue. The grim reality is that he may have been dead in his bed for some time.”
Mirza’s brother, Kamran Mirza, called the incident “heartbreaking” on social media. "Cannot express how hard it is that Irfan left his parents, us three siblings and his wife and three young children behind. It's totally heartbreaking... It has really shocked me and the rest of the family that Irfan is not with us anymore. Cannot express what we are going through right now,” he said.
"We both were born in the same month, June, only four days apart. There were times we celebrated our birthday at the same time. Now that moment will never come again. It's heartbreaking,” he added.
Mirza's youngest brother, Rizzy Mirza, also mourned the loss, saying, “I cannot begin to express the sudden loss of my beautiful brother. It really has cut the family deep. Looking at all your lovely messages brings me some peace knowing that my brother was well loved and respected amongst you all."
Mirza’s younger sister, Amber, recalled childhood memories, saying, "He guided me throughout my whole life and his loss now has deeply affected us all. I know he loved his job and always has great stories to tell when he got back. Seeing all these lovely messages remembering him brings a smile to know he was loved and respected. His memory lives on forever in our hearts."
The BA 284 flight from San Francisco International Airport to London Heathrow, which was scheduled to depart at 4.20 pm on April 17, was cancelled after Mirza’s death. While passengers were not told the reason for the cancellation, they were given hotel rooms and authorities made alternate arrangements.
