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A 30-year-old woman fitted with a pacemaker collapsed and died in her husband's arms just minutes after walking through an airport scanner in Russia.

Diana Tolstova was travelling with her partner Maxim when the scanner at Baikal International airport in Ulan-Ude, caused her device to malfunction.

Mr Tolstova, 33, said his wife complained of feeling dizzy as the couple reached their departure gate and then collapsed. 

Diana Tolstova: The scanner at Baikal International airport caused her pacemaker to malfunction

He said he called for help - but claims the doctor failed to reach his wife in time.

When medical assistance arrived, Mr Tolstova alleges doctors were unsure what to do, that they didn't give his wife any first aid treatment - and they didn't call for an ambulance.

It is believed the electromagnetic waves caused the glitch with Mrs Tolstova's pacemaker.

Mr Tolstova told Central European News agency that the couple had handed papers to the airport to explain that his wife was fitted with the electrical device, which controls the rhythm of the heart.

Passengers with pacemakers fitted are advised to show documentation to airport staff

'I don't know what happened but she went through it anyway,' he said.

'When we got to the departure gate she began to feel dizzy and suddenly collapsed.

'My beautiful Diana died in my arms.' 

Airport officials are investigating the incident.

'Security and airport personnel are given strict instructions about how to handle people with pacemakers, and we warn them never to let a wearer go through a metal detector,' an airport spokeman said.

'In normal circumstances, they see their papers and let them pass. 

'In this case, the patient seems to either have forgotten about it, didn't know or became confused by the airport security, but every patient receives a strict warning.'

Officials at the Baikal International airport in Ulan-Ude are investigating the incident

Advice on the British Heart Foundation website says: 'Pacemakers are small electrical devices implanted in patients, either to control the rhythm of the heart or improve the pumping of the heart. 

'Because they are electrical, there is an understandable concern among many patients about the effect of airport security systems on the pacemaker.'

It advises passengers to present a device identification card at airports, something given to everyone who has a pacemaker fitted.

'It is safe to pass through the security system at a normal walking pace, as modern pacemakers and other implantable devices such as ICDs are well shielded against outside interference,' continues the advice. 

It also says that the metal casing of the pacemaker may trigger the security alarm, leading to the search being conducted via a hand-held metal detector, which is considered safe, but should not be placed directly over the device for longer than necessary.