Chinedu Eze
A Nigerian passenger aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi to Lagos died despite in-flight medical emergency to revive him Tuesday night.
The tragic incident unfolded at approximately 9:20 p.m. local Nigerian time on October 6, 2026, just 20 minutes before the aircraft was scheduled to touch down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Cabin crew discovered that the traveller had become completely unresponsive while the plane was on its final approach to landing.
The aircraft completed its landing at the Lagos airport around 9:41 p.m., where emergency medical personnel were stationed on the tarmac to immediately board the plane. Despite the prompt arrival of the medical team, the passenger was pronounced dead after an initial on-board examination.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, Kenya Airways confirmed the loss and extended its sympathy to the relatives of the deceased.
The East African airline expressed its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased traveler while offering apologies to passengers for any disruption caused by the emergency. The airline also emphasized its commitment to maintaining the dignity and privacy of the passenger and their family.
Kenya Airways noted that it is currently coordinating with local authorities, aviation regulatory bodies, and the deceased’s family to assist with post-incident procedures and provide necessary support during the formal process.
However, THISDAY learnt from inside source that the deceased did not show any sign of ill-health when he boarded the flight but he became restless and despondent while onboard.
This might not be unrelated to the unconfirmed report that he was supposed to disembark in Madagascar, his final destination on the first leg of the flight, which was Lagos-Madagascar via Nairobi, but he was refused entry on arrival in Madagascar by the authorities, prompting Kenya Airways to return him to Nigeria.
Passengers who sat close to him on return flight indicated that he was restless while the flight was airborne, suggesting frustration and anger, which made the cabin crew and passengers to retrain him.
But shortly after the flight was in Nigeria’s airspace, it was noticed he had become motionless and was later pronounced dead.