A United Airlines flight from Lagos to Washington D.C. was forced to return to its origin airport and subsequently canceled after a 64-year-old passenger suffered a seizure mid-flight, requiring urgent medical attention.
A United States-bound flight, which departed Lagos on Tuesday morning, returned to base over a medical emergency (seizure incident)
— Medicalworld Nigeria (@MedicalworldNig) September 2, 2025
The medical team of the airline attended to the passenger onboard, but he “did not respond to treatment.” pic.twitter.com/AltBOo6HGW
A United Airlines flight bound for Washington D.C. was compelled to return to Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Tuesday due to a serious medical emergency onboard. The flight, UA613, which departed around 12:10 a.m., turned back approximately 30 minutes into its journey after a 64-year-old male passenger suffered a seizure.
Despite attention from the crew and any potential medical personnel on board, the passenger did not respond to initial treatment, prompting the pilot to prioritize safety and return to base. The aircraft landed back in Lagos at 2:26 a.m., where the individual was immediately transferred to a local hospital for further care. Consequently, the airline canceled the flight, as the crew had exhausted their legally mandated operating hours. All affected passengers were provided hotel accommodations while awaiting rescheduling, with a potential departure expected Wednesday. The airline has not yet issued an official public statement on the incident.
United States-bound flight, which departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, yesterday morning, reportedly returned to base over a medical emergency.https://t.co/8zNtbTNy3E
— The Guardian Nigeria (@GuardianNigeria) September 3, 2025