A British Airways flight from London to Abuja was forced to make an emergency diversion to Barcelona, Spain, on Monday, October 6, 2025, after retired Nigerian Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Osita Obierika sadly passed away mid-flight.
On Sunday, October 5, a British Airways flight took off from London’s Heathrow Airport at 11:00 p.m. and was originally scheduled to land in Abuja at 5:00 a.m. on Monday.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., a medical emergency was declared by the pilot due to the elderly AVM’s rapidly deteriorating health. The aircraft was then diverted to El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain, where the AVM was pronounced dead.
According to reports, Obierika, an octogenarian who was terminally ill with cancer, passed away while being transported back to Nigeria for treatment. A passenger on the flight informed The Whistler that the AVM seemed too frail to travel and was accompanied by his wife, who was also not in good health.
The death caused distress among passengers, with one report noting that the confusion also triggered a second medical emergency involving a pregnant woman.
British Airways later apologized for the disruption and arranged for a replacement aircraft to complete the journey to Abuja.
