An American Airlines passenger named Carine Desir, 44, died Friday during a flight from Haiti to New York's JFK Airport. The circumstances leading up to her death are unclear with the airline saying one thing and the woman's cousin, Antonio Oliver, saying another. 

Oliver told the Associated Press that a flight attendant twice refused to give the dying woman oxygen, doing so only after a phone consultation with the pilot. According to Oliver:

[Carine] Desir said she was having "trouble breathing" and asked for oxygen, but a flight attendant twice refused her request, Oliver said. He said other passengers aboard Flight 896 became agitated over the situation, and the flight attendant, apparently after phone consultation with the cockpit, tried to administer oxygen from a portable tank and mask, but the tank was empty.

Oliver said two doctors and two nurses were aboard and tried to administer oxygen from a second tank, which also was empty.

Desir, of New York City, was placed on the floor, and a nurse tried CPR, Oliver said. A "box," possibly a defibrillator, also was applied but didn't function effectively, he said.

Carine Desire died and according to Oliver, her body was moved to the first-class section, laid on the floor and covered with a blanket. 

A statement just released by American Airlines offers an alternative view of the events leading up to her death, saying "oxygen was administered," which suggests the equipment was working. Faulty life-saving equipment on an aircraft would raise serious questions. American is standing by its equipment, it's employees actions, and extends its thanks the "medical volunteers" on the flight who tried to help — there were apparently two doctors and two nurses on board. 

American Airlines Statement Regarding Death of Passenger

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — American Airlinesis very saddened over the death of passenger Carine Desir on Flight 896from Haiti to New York's JFK Airport last Friday and extends its deepestsympathy to the grieving family.

We are investigating this incident, as we do with all serious medicalsituations on board our aircraft, but American Airlines can say oxygen wasadministered and the Automatic External Defibrillator was applied.  

Among the preflight duties of our highly trained Flight Attendants is acheck of all emergency equipment on the aircraft. This includes checkingthe oxygen bottles — there were 12 in this particular aircraft. We standbehind the actions and training of our crew and the functionality of theonboard medical equipment. We are also grateful to medical volunteers on this flight who came to the aid of a fellow traveler during flight.

(photo credit: WABC photograph of Carine Desir)  

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