Ma Ailun, a 23-year-old China Airlines flight attendant reportedly died after being electrocuted Thursday when she answered a call using her iPhone 5 that was recharging. The message was reposted more than 3,000 times on Weibo, China’s microblogging site…
According to a new report form South China Morning Post, Ailun died after picking up what family said was a genuine iPhone 5 which was plugged into a wall charger. Other family members said on Weibo that the young woman had just stepped from a bath, according to Fortune.
The handset and the charger were both sent to local police. Although the authorities confirmed the death, “they could not identify the source of the current that killed her,â€Fortune reported.
Ma’s brother, Yuelun, said in an interview with Apple Daily that the family believe she was killed by an electric shock while using the phone. He said the iPhone in question and its accessories had been handed over to Xinjiang police for investigation.
On another issue related to the iPhone which later was widely circulated in the Chinese media, Apple CEO Tim Cook was forced to publicly apologize in order to smooth relations. China has become a huge market for Apple. The iPhone 5 Ma Ailun used was reportedly still under warranty.
Coun Ian Jones, cabinet member for neighbourhood services, added: “People may be tempted to buy cheap chargers, particularly in the run up to Christmas, but I would urge people not to risk their lives for the sake of a few pounds.â€
He said an undisclosed number of fake chargers have been seized from the West Bromwich shop and Trading standards have now made a formal request for the firm’s invoices in a bid to trace where it came from.
