Airline issues response after traumatised couple force to sit next to dead body during flight

After an Australian couple claimed this week they were forced to sit beside the deceased body of a fellow passenger on a flight, the airline in question has spoken out.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin had been travelling from their home-city of Melbourne to Venice, Italy, on a long-haul Qatar Airways flight, when another holidaymaker tragically 'collapsed'.

After cabin crew failed to revive the female passenger, they attempted to move her body to the First Class section of the plane using a wheelchair device.

According to Ring, however, 'they couldn't get her through the aisle' and he and his wife were asked to 'move over'.

"[It] was pretty heartbreaking to watch," Ring confessed during an appearance on A Current Affair on Monday (24 February).

"I just said, 'Yes, no problem'," he claimed. "Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in."

The unnerved couple claimed they quickly asked if they'd be able to move to one of the numerous vacant seats, but were refused by staff.

"There were a few spare seats I could see around us. I can't believe they told us to stay … it wasn't nice," Ring continued.

Australian airline Qantas - who the pair booked their international flight through - have since released a statement, telling PEOPLE Magazine: "The process for handling incidents onboard an aircraft like this is managed by the operating airline, which in this case is Qatar Airways."

Both Qatar Airways and Qantus have issued statements on the upsetting incident (James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Virgin Australia)

A spokesperson for the firm added that 'Colin made us aware of the incident on a Qatar Airways flight via email on Saturday afternoon [Feb. 22]', and claimed they'd been in touch with the couple.

Qantas added that they'd since followed up with Qatar Airways.

In another statement, a Qatar Airways spokesperson subsequently told several media outlets: "First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight.

"We apologise for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused."

The Middle Eastern airline added that they 'are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures'.

Ring was forced to sit beside the body for the remaining four hours of the flight (Nine Network Australia/A Current Affair)

Despite the claims made by the travel firms, Ring and Colin have since claimed they weren't offered any form of support following the incident.

"They have a duty of care towards their customers as well as their staff," Ring explained. "We should be contacted to make sure — do you need some support, do you need some counseling?"

He continued: "I don't really know how I feel and would like to speak to somebody to make sure I'm alright."

Speaking from Italy - where the couple claimed they've attempted to put the horror show behind them - Colin added: "I'm trying to make the best of a pretty hard situation, but, you know. We're on holiday so we're really trying to have a good time."

Tyla has contacted Qantas and Qatar Airlines for further comment.

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