A British Airways (BA) flight from London to Abuja was diverted to Barcelona, Spain, in the early hours of Monday, after a retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal, a native of Anambra State, died on board.
The aircraft, which departed London’s Heathrow Airport at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, was scheduled to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by 5:00 a.m. Monday.
However, at about 1:30 a.m., the pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted to El Prat Airport in Barcelona.
The deceased, said to be in his early 80s, had been ill and was being flown back to Nigeria for further treatment when he gave up the ghost while airborne.
The incident caused distress among passengers, with confusion onboard reportedly triggering a second medical emergency involving a pregnant woman.
Her condition could not be immediately confirmed at press time.
British Airways, in a message to passengers, apologised for the disruption and assured them of support. “Passengers are advised to expect an email with more information and can reach out to the airline’s Live Chat feature for support. British Airways acknowledges the inconvenience and thanks passengers for their patience and understanding,” the airline stated.
British Airways apologised for the disruption and provided a replacement aircraft to fly passengers to Abuja.
