A retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal died early Monday aboard a British Airways flight from London to Abuja.
The aircraft made an emergency landing in Barcelona, Spain, after the passenger became unresponsive mid-flight.
The flight left Heathrow Airport in London at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, and was expected to arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 5:00 a.m. on Monday, October 6.
About two hours after takeoff, the passenger’s condition grew worse, prompting the flight crew to divert the aircraft to El Prat Airport, Barcelona, where it landed at 1:10 a.m. local time.
The deceased was described as an octogenarian and a retired Air Vice Marshal, who had been reportedly ill before the trip. Family members were said to be bringing him home to Nigeria for continued medical care when he passed away.
The Regional Commercial Manager for Nigeria and Ghana at British Airways, Mrs. Tutu Otuyalo, was reported by The Guardian as confirming the incident. She stated that the passenger had a terminal illness and expressed sympathy for his family and for passengers affected by the emergency diversion.
British Airways informed passengers that a replacement aircraft was being sent to Barcelona to continue the journey to Abuja. In a message shared with passengers, the airline said the new flight was scheduled to depart Barcelona at 2:50 p.m. local time and arrive in Abuja at 5:45 p.m. the same day.
The airline also apologized for the disruption, advised passengers to expect email updates, and provided its Live Chat feature for additional support.
Local authorities in Barcelona handled procedures related to the deceased passenger, while the airline arranged onward travel for the other passengers to Abuja.
