One of Nigeria’s leading newspapers, Punchng, has reported on its online platform that an unidentified passenger aboard Delta Air Lines’ Atlanta-Lagos flight passed away mid-air on Monday due to a health emergency.
According to the report, the incident occurred approximately three hours before the flight’s scheduled arrival in Lagos. Despite the crew’s decision to proceed to Lagos, heavy thunderstorms in the area forced the pilots to divert the plane to Lome, Togo.
Sources close to the development revealed that the flight experienced an additional delay in Lome due to refueling and adverse weather conditions. Delta Air Lines’ A330-200 aircraft was carrying 215 passengers at the time of the incident.
The flight eventually landed safely in Lagos, approximately eight and a half hours after its scheduled arrival time of 10 a.m. on Monday. Passengers on the flight reportedly received compensation for the inconvenience.
In a statement, Delta Air apologized for the inconvenience and expressed regret for any difficulties or delays caused to its customers’ travel arrangements during the flight.
“Delta flight 54 ATL-LOS has landed safely in LOS after an onboard customer medical situation and subsequent diversion to LFW due to weather,” the statement read. We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and delay in their travel plans.”
The airline did not provide further details regarding the passenger’s identity or the specific nature of the medical emergency that led to their unfortunate passing. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the potential health risks associated with air travel, as well as the importance of airlines being prepared to handle medical emergencies onboard their flights.
Credit: Punchng.com
