A British Airways flight from London to Abuja was diverted to Barcelona, Spain, in the early hours of Monday following the death of a retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal, Osita Obierika, mid-air.
The flight had departed London Heathrow around 11:00 p.m. on a Sunday, October 5, but the pilot declared a medical emergency after Obierika, believed to be in his early 80s, fell critically ill during the journey. Despite efforts by the crew, he was confirmed dead before the aircraft could land.
The incident caused anxiety among passengers, with reports indicating that a pregnant woman also suffered a health scare during the commotion.
British Airways, in a statement, expressed regret over the development and apologized to passengers for the disruption. The airline dispatched a replacement aircraft from Barcelona to continue the journey to Abuja.
The rescheduled flight was expected to depart Barcelona at 2:50 p.m. local time and arrive in Abuja at about 5:45 p.m. Nigerian time.
