Nigerian Air Force officer dies aboard British Airways

A British Airways (BA) flight from London to Abuja was diverted to Barcelona, Spain, in the early hours of Monday following the death of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) (Rtd.) Osita Obierika, a retired senior officer of the Nigerian Air Force from Anambra State.

The flight, which departed Heathrow Airport, London, at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, was expected to arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by 5:00 a.m. on Monday.

However, around 1:30 a.m., the pilot declared a medical emergency after Obierika reportedly passed away mid-air, prompting the aircraft to divert to El Prat Airport, Barcelona, for emergency response.

Sources aboard the flight told reporters that the deceased, said to be in his early 80s, had been ill and was returning home for further medical care when the incident occurred.

“He had been unwell for some time and was being flown back to Nigeria for treatment,” a passenger familiar with the situation said.

The sudden death reportedly caused distress among passengers, with confusion in the cabin leading to a second medical emergency involving a pregnant woman, whose condition was not immediately confirmed as of press time.

British Airways, in a message to passengers, expressed condolences and apologised for the disruption caused by the diversion.

“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 said in its official statement.

The airline confirmed that a replacement aircraft would continue the journey to Abuja. The new flight was initially scheduled to depart Barcelona at 2:00 p.m. local time and arrive in Abuja around 7:00 p.m., but the departure was later rescheduled to 2:50 p.m., with arrival expected at approximately 5:45 p.m. Nigerian time.

AVM Osita Obierika was among the few surviving retired air vice marshals from Anambra State and was regarded as one of the early pioneers of the Nigerian Air Force.