A British Airways (BA) flight from London to Abuja was diverted to Barcelona, Spain, in the early hours of Monday, after a retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal from Anambra State died onboard.
The aircraft, which departed London’s Heathrow Airport at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, was scheduled to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by 5:00 a.m. Monday.
However, at about 1:30 a.m., the pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted to El Prat Airport in Barcelona.
Sources said that the deceased, believed to be in his early 80s, had been ill and was being flown back to Nigeria for further treatment when he passed away mid-flight.
He was one of only a few surviving retired air vice marshals from Anambra State.
The incident caused distress among passengers, with confusion onboard reportedly triggering a second medical emergency involving a pregnant woman.
Her condition could not be immediately confirmed at press time.
British Airways, in a message to passengers, apologised for the disruption and assured them of support. “Passengers are advised to expect an email with more information and can reach out to the airline’s Live Chat feature for support. British Airways acknowledges the inconvenience and thanks passengers for their patience and understanding,” the airline stated.
The airline also confirmed that a replacement aircraft would continue the journey to Abuja. Initially scheduled to depart Barcelona at 2:00 p.m. local time and arrive in Abuja at 7:00 p.m., the departure was later adjusted to 2:50 p.m., with arrival expected around 5:45 p.m. Nigerian time.
British Airways apologised for the disruption and provided a replacement aircraft.
The new flight is scheduled to depart Barcelona at 2:50 pm local time, with an expected arrival time in Abuja of 5:45 pm local time.