Nigerian passenger dies on British Airways flight to Abuja

A Nigerian passenger, in the early hours of yesterday, died onboard British Airways flight, which departed London Heathrow Airport for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

The passenger, who was identified as a retired Air Vice Marshal, was said to be ill before departing London for Abuja, but died on board less than two hours after departure.

The incident forced the pilot to make an emergency landing at the El Prat Airport, Barcelona, Spain, at about 1:10 a.m.

The six-hour flight departed from Heathrow London Airport on Sunday at 11:30 pm.

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It was learnt that the octogenarian was being brought back to Nigeria for further treatment by his family because of the illness.

The incident caused chaos on the flight and reportedly led to a pregnant woman also falling unwell.

I didn’t get any more information on her condition.

A new flight was scheduled for the remaining passengers who arrived in Nigeria later on Monday evening, and the airline has issued an apology.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.