By Dalena Reporters
LONDON/BARCELONA — A British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Abuja was thrown into confusion early Monday morning after a retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal reportedly died mid-air, forcing an emergency diversion to Barcelona, Spain.
According to flight sources cited by Dalena Reporters, the tragic incident occurred around 1:30 a.m., roughly two and a half hours after the aircraft departed Heathrow at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday night. The elderly passenger, believed to be in his early eighties and a native of Anambra State, was said to have been battling an undisclosed illness and was returning to Nigeria for further medical treatment.
Crew members reportedly alerted medical personnel on board as the man’s condition worsened mid-flight, prompting a distress call and emergency diversion to El Prat Airport in Barcelona. Efforts to resuscitate him proved unsuccessful before the plane landed.
Witnesses described a scene of panic and confusion as passengers watched the crew respond to the emergency. Reports also indicate that a pregnant woman experienced distress during the incident, though her current condition was yet to be confirmed as of press time.
British Airways later issued an apology to passengers, acknowledging the medical emergency and assuring them that arrangements were underway to continue the flight to Abuja. “We apologize for the delay and inconvenience caused. Further details will be communicated to passengers directly,” the airline reportedly said in an internal message.
A replacement aircraft was scheduled to depart Barcelona around 2:50 p.m. local time and arrive in Abuja by 5:45 p.m. Nigerian time on Monday.
As of the time of this report, the identity of the deceased officer has not been officially released, and both British Airways and Nigerian aviation authorities have yet to issue formal statements confirming the circumstances surrounding his death.
The incident marks yet another case of in-flight medical emergencies involving elderly travelers returning home from overseas for medical reasons — a growing trend that aviation observers say underscores the urgent need for better pre-flight health assessments and onboard emergency preparedness.