A passenger has died aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi to Lagos after reportedly experiencing a medical emergency shortly before the aircraft landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Kenya Airways confirmed that the incident occurred on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, on a flight from Nairobi to Lagos, with the emergency reported at about 21:20 Nigerian time, approximately 20 minutes before landing.
The airline said the passenger was found unresponsive during the flight, prompting the crew to administer first aid in line with their training and activate the appropriate emergency procedures.
The aircraft landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 21:41, where medical personnel were waiting to assess the passenger.
Despite the response, the passenger was pronounced dead after further examination by the medical team.
Kenya Airways expressed condolences to the deceased’s family and friends and said it was providing the necessary support while coordinating with the family, local authorities and aviation regulators.
The airline also said it was respecting the privacy and dignity of everyone involved in the incident.
The circumstances surrounding the passenger’s death are now the subject of an investigation by the Nigerian Police.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, said it had been briefed by Kenya Airways’ country manager on Wednesday morning and confirmed that the police had taken over the investigation.
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the passenger had reportedly been picked up in Madagascar after customs authorities refused him entry into the country.
According to the account provided to the NCAA, the passenger was being returned to his point of departure when he became restless and aggressive during the flight.
Achimugu said the passenger allegedly attempted to gain access to the aircraft’s cockpit and later tried to open a rear door, prompting the crew to restrain him in an effort to prevent further disruption and protect other passengers and crew.
He said the passenger’s hands were reportedly restrained behind his back after the incidents, but was later declared dead upon arrival in Lagos.
The NCAA official cautioned against drawing conclusions before the police investigation is completed, stressing that authorities would establish the circumstances surrounding the passenger’s death.
The Nigeria Police Force also confirmed the incident and said investigations had commenced.
The spokesperson for the Airport Command, Muhammed Adeola, said the passenger was being treated as an inadmissible traveller and that complications reportedly developed during the return flight.
According to the police, the passenger became unable to breathe while the aircraft was in transit, prompting the crew to alert medical personnel ahead of the aircraft’s arrival in Lagos.
Medical personnel examined the passenger after landing but confirmed that he had died.
The deceased’s body has been deposited at a morgue in Ikeja as investigators work to determine the precise circumstances and cause of death.
The investigation is expected to establish the events leading up to the medical emergency, the nature of the passenger’s condition, the circumstances surrounding his restraint and whether any other factors contributed to his death.
Kenya Airways, the NCAA, the police and other relevant authorities are expected to work together as the investigation continues.
