A couple flying from Australia to Qatar were reportedly forced to sit next to a corpse after a female passenger died during their flight.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were making their way to Venice by way of Qatar’s capital, Doha when one of the passengers collapsed and died on the isle.

The couple told an Australian news outlet that during the final hours of their Qatar Airways flight, a woman collapsed near their seats after returning from the bathroom. Flight attendants attempted to save the woman’s life, but despite their efforts, she died.

“Unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch,” the news program quoted Ring. “They tried to wheel her up towards business class, but she was quite a large lady and they couldn’t get her through the aisle.”

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Qatar Airways issued a statement to NBC News, expressing condolences to the woman’s family. The couple said due to empty seats in their row, the crew placed the woman’s body next to them. When they tried to move, they were told to remain seated until medics could recover the deceased passenger upon landing.

“They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes, no problem,’” Ring recalled. “Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in.”

Qatar Airways apologized for the incident and said they are working to contact passengers in line with company policies.

“First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight,” the statement read. “We apologize for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused, and are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures.”

The couple said they have not received support or an offer of counseling following the flight.

“They have a duty of care towards their customers as well as their staff, we should be contacted to make sure you need some support or do you need some counselling?” Ring added. “I don’t really know how I feel and would like to speak to somebody to make sure I’m alright.”

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According to the International Air Transport Association’s safety guidelines, if a deceased passenger can be moved, airlines are advised to place them in a seat with few passengers nearby, or if the plane is full, back to their original seat.

The guidelines also recommend that the deceased should be placed inside a body bag or covered with a blanket if one isn’t available.