Editor's Review
Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced the death of a passenger who was aboard a flight from Nairobi to Lagos.
Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced the death of a passenger who was aboard a flight from Nairobi to Lagos.
In a statement on Wednesday, October 7, KQ said the incident occurred on Tuesday, October 6, at around 9:20 Nigerian time.
According to the airline, the passenger was found unresponsive approximately 20 minutes before the plane landed in Lagos.
“Kenya Airways PLC (“KQ”) confirms that on Tuesday, 06 October 2026, our flight from Nairobi to Lagos experienced a medical emergency on board at around 21:20 hrs local Nigerian time.
“One of our passengers was found to be unresponsive approximately 20 minutes before landing in Lagos,” read the statement in part.
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The KQ crew administered first aid on the passenger in accordance with their training and followed all emergency procedures.
The flight landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 9:41 pm, where it was met by medical personnel.
Further examination by the medical team confirmed that the passenger had died.
“Upon landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 21:41 hrs, the aircraft was met by medical personnel, and upon further examination, the medical personnel confirmed that the passenger had passed away,” KQ stated.
The national carrier expressed its condolences to the deceased passenger’s family and friends and apologized for any inconvenience the incident may have caused.
Further, KQ said it is providing the necessary support in close coordination with the deceased's family, local authorities, and aviation regulators.
“We convey our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and apologize for any inconvenience this incident may have caused. We uphold and respect the privacy and dignity of all involved,” KQ added.
This comes months after a KQ aircraft experienced a tire burst after safely landing at Cape Town International Airport in South Africa.
In a statement on Tuesday, August 4, the airline said the aircraft landed safely before experiencing the tire burst during landing.
"Kenya Airways PLC (KQ) confirms that on 04 August 2026, at approximately 15:30 Hrs local time, our flight KQ784, on a scheduled service from Nairobi to Cape Town, safely landed and experienced a tire burst upon landing," the statement read.
The airline said its crew responded to the situation by following established safety procedures, ensuring that everyone on board was safely evacuated from the aircraft.
"Our crew acted in accordance with their safety training. All passengers and crew have safely disembarked and have been taken to the airport terminal," the statement added.
