A British Airways flight from London to Abuja was diverted to Barcelona after a retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal died mid-air, causing panic among passengers.
A British Airways flight from London to Abuja was forced to make an emergency diversion to Barcelona, Spain, after a retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal from Anambra State reportedly fell ill and died mid-air in the early hours of Monday.
The aircraft, which departed London’s Heathrow Airport at 11 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, was expected to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by 5 a.m. Monday. However, around 1:30 a.m., the pilot declared a medical emergency when the elderly passenger, said to be in his early 80s, became critically ill.
Sources told Daily Trust that the deceased, one of the few surviving retired air vice marshals from Anambra, had been returning home for treatment. The incident caused panic among passengers, and a pregnant woman reportedly suffered a medical episode.
British Airways apologised for the disruption and confirmed that a replacement aircraft later continued the journey to Abuja.