A British Airways (BA) flight en route from London to Abuja was forced to make an emergency diversion to Barcelona, Spain, in the early hours of Monday, October 6, 2025, following the mid-air death of a retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal (AVM).
The aircraft departed London’s Heathrow Airport at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, and was originally scheduled to arrive at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja by 5:00 a.m. Monday. However, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the pilot declared a medical emergency and immediately rerouted the flight to El Prat Airport in Barcelona.
The deceased was identified as Prof. Osita Obierika, a retired Air Vice Marshal of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), believed to be in his early 80s and one of the few surviving retired AVMs from Anambra State. Sources indicate that Prof. Obierika was reportedly ill and was being flown back to Nigeria for further medical treatment when he passed away mid-flight.
The unfortunate incident caused significant panic and distress among passengers. Witnesses reported moments of confusion and worry, which reportedly led to a second medical emergency involving a pregnant woman onboard. Her condition could not be immediately confirmed.
British Airways issued a statement to affected passengers, apologizing for the unexpected disruption and confirming arrangements for a replacement aircraft to continue the journey to Abuja.
The rescheduled flight was initially slated to depart Barcelona at 2:00 p.m. local time, with an estimated arrival in Abuja at 7:00 p.m. However, the departure was later adjusted to 2:50 p.m. local time, with the final arrival in Nigeria expected around 5:45 p.m. Nigerian time. The airline assured passengers that its Customer Care team was available to provide support.
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