A passenger has died aboard a Kenya Airlines flight from Nairobi to Lagos after turning into unresponsive about 20 mins earlier than the airplane landed on the Murtala Muhammed World Airport, Lagos.
Kenya Airlines showed the incident in a commentary on Wednesday, announcing the scientific emergency came about at about 9:20 p.m. Nigerian time on Tuesday.
The airline mentioned its team administered first assist to the passenger in step with their coaching and adopted emergency procedures earlier than the airplane landed at 9:41 p.m.
“Upon touchdown at Murtala Muhammed World Airport at 21:41 hrs, the airplane used to be met by way of scientific staff, and upon additional exam, the scientific staff showed that the passenger had kicked the bucket,” the airline mentioned.
Kenya Airlines expressed condolences to the passenger’s friends and family and mentioned it used to be offering reinforce in coordination with the circle of relatives, native government and aviation regulators.
The airline didn’t divulge the id of the passenger or the reason for dying, announcing it might appreciate the privateness and dignity of the ones concerned.
NCAA responds
Responding to the incident, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Client Coverage on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), mentioned the police have taken over the investigation.
Mr Achimugu mentioned he used to be briefed by way of Kenya Airlines’ nation supervisor on Wednesday morning.
In keeping with him, the passenger had reportedly been picked up in Madagascar after government there denied him access and used to be being returned to Nigeria by way of Kenya Airlines.
He mentioned the airline used to be anticipated to go back the passenger as it had transported him to Madagascar.
“The rustic supervisor mentioned he used to be picked from Madagascar, after customs had previous denied him access into the rustic, and as anticipated, the airline that introduced him into the rustic should take him again,” Mr Achimugu mentioned.
He additional mentioned the passenger allegedly changed into stressed and competitive throughout the go back flight, tried to realize get entry to to the cockpit and later attempted to open the rear door of the airplane.
He defined that the passenger used to be due to this fact restrained by way of participants of the team.
“When he were given into the airplane, he changed into stressed and competitive within the airplane, sought after to go into the cockpit and later sought after to open the rear door, however used to be later tied down. His arms had been tied to his again to be sure that he stopped the worries,” he mentioned.
Mr Achimugu mentioned the passenger used to be pronounced useless after the airplane arrived in Lagos.
“But if he were given to Nigeria, he used to be declared useless on arrival. I don’t need to pre-empt the police investigation, however they’ve taken it over for now,” he mentioned.
He added that the deceased’s circle of relatives may just request an post-mortem because the investigation progresses.
Police start investigation
The spokesperson for the Airport Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Muhammed Adeola, showed that an investigation had commenced.
Mr Adeola mentioned the incident concerned an “inadmissible passenger” and that headaches reportedly advanced throughout the go back flight.
“Sure, it’s true, and investigations have commenced. It’s a subject of an inadmissible passenger, and the mentioned headaches arose on their long ago,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the passenger changed into not able to respire earlier than scientific staff had been alerted forward of the airplane’s arrival.
Mr Adeola mentioned the police have taken statements from participants of the flight team, together with the captain.
He added that the frame were deposited at a morgue in Ikeja.
Identical incident
The dying isn’t the primary reported case of a passenger death aboard a world flight sure for Lagos.
In March 2019, a 54-year-old passenger aboard a Delta Air Strains flight from Atlanta, United States, to Lagos used to be discovered unresponsive in a while earlier than the airplane landed on the Murtala Muhammed World Airport.
The passenger used to be showed useless after the airplane landed, with scientific staff assembly the flight on the airport.
Clinical emergencies have additionally ended in world flights returning to Lagos.
In September 2025, PREMIUM TIMES reported {that a} United Airways flight from Lagos to Washington, D.C., returned to Lagos after a passenger suffered a scientific emergency about 90 mins into the adventure. Clinical staff attended to the passenger after the airplane landed.
Kenya Airlines mentioned it’s offering the vital reinforce in coordination with the deceased passenger’s circle of relatives, native government and aviation regulators.
The airline additionally apologised for any inconvenience the incident will have led to different passengers.
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