AMR says crew gave oxygen to dying passenger

CHICAGO (Reuters) - AMR Corp, parent of American Airlines, on Monday said the flight crew had administered oxygen and used a defibrillator to assist an ailing passenger who died on a flight from Haiti to New York last week.

AMR said it was investigating the death of the passenger, Carine Desir, who died during the flight.

The carrier was responding to suggestions in media reports that its onboard medical equipment had malfunctioned. A cousin of Desir had complained that oxygen bottles were empty and that a defibrillator did not work.

"We stand behind the actions and training of our crew and the functionality of the onboard medical equipment," the airline said in a statement. "Oxygen was administered and the automatic external defibrillator was applied."

(Reporting by Kyle Peterson, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)