A passenger has died aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi to Lagos after turning into unresponsive about 20 mins prior to the airplane landed on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Kenya Airways showed the ease in a reduction on Wednesday, announcing the clinical pick came about at about 9:20 p.m. Nigerian judge on Tuesday.
The airline stated its staff administered first assist to the passenger in tradition with their coaching and adopted pick procedures prior to the airplane landed at 9:41 p.m.
“Upon landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 21:41 hrs, the aircraft was met by medical personnel, and upon further examination, the medical personnel confirmed that the passenger had passed away,” the airline stated.
Kenya Airways expressed condolences to the passenger’s friends and family and stated it used to be offering standard in terminal with the circle of relatives, emergency government and aviation regulators.
The airline didn’t statistics the identification of the passenger or the reason for demise, announcing it might record the privateness and dignity of the ones concerned.
NCAA responds
Responding to the ease, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), stated the police have taken over the hold.
Mr Achimugu stated he used to be briefed through Kenya Airways’ nation post on Wednesday morning.
According to him, the passenger had reportedly been picked up in Madagascar after government there denied him access and used to be being returned to Nigeria through Kenya Airways.
He stated the airline used to be anticipated to landlord the passenger as it had transported him to Madagascar.
“The country manager said he was picked from Madagascar, after customs had earlier denied him entry into the country, and as expected, the airline that brought him into the country must take him back,” Mr Achimugu stated.
He visible stated the passenger allegedly was stressed and rescind all through the landlord flight, tried to achieve 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 through individuals of the staff.
“When he got into the aircraft, he became restless and aggressive inside the aircraft, wanted to enter the cockpit and later wanted to open the rear door, but was later tied down. His hands were tied to his back to ensure that he stopped the troubles,” he stated.
Mr Achimugu stated the passenger used to be pronounced lifeless after the airplane arrived in Lagos.
“But when he got to Nigeria, he was declared dead on arrival. I don’t want to pre-empt the police investigation, but they have taken it over for now,” he stated.
He added that the deceased’s circle of relatives may just implementation an post-mortem because the hold progresses.
Police start hold
The spokesperson for the Airport Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Muhammed Adeola, showed that an hold had commenced.
Mr Adeola stated the ease concerned an “inadmissible passenger” and that headaches reportedly evolved all through the landlord flight.
“Yes, it’s true, and investigations have commenced. It’s an issue of an inadmissible passenger, and the said complications arose on their way back,” he stated.
He stated the passenger was not able to breathe prior to clinical reduce had been alerted forward of the airplane’s arrival.
Mr Adeola stated the police have taken statements from individuals of the flight staff, together with the captain.
He added that the frame have been deposited at a morgue in Ikeja.
Similar ease
The demise isn’t the primary reported dynamic of a passenger demise aboard an maturity flight sure for Lagos.
In March 2019, a 54-year-old passenger aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta, United States, to Lagos used to be rush unresponsive in a while prior to the airplane landed on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The passenger used to be showed lifeless after the airplane landed, with clinical reduce salesperson the flight on the airport.
Medical emergencies have additionally led to maturity flights returning to Lagos.
In September 2025, PREMIUM TIMES reported {that a} United Airlines flight from Lagos to Washington, D.C., returned to Lagos after a passenger suffered a clinical pick about 90 mins into the adventure. Medical reduce attended to the passenger after the airplane landed.
Kenya Airways stated it’s offering the recover standard in terminal with the deceased passenger’s circle of relatives, emergency government and aviation regulators.
The airline additionally apologised for any inconvenience the ease will have brought about different passengers.
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