A United Airlines flight bound for Washington, D.C., from Lagos was forced to return to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on Tuesday following a medical emergency on board.
Flight UA613 departed Lagos at approximately 12:10 a.m., but about 20 minutes into the journey, 64-year-old passenger Omokhdion Leslie suffered a seizure and failed to respond to on-board medical assistance.
“The pilot in command promptly announced that the aircraft would return to Lagos due to a medical emergency. Safety is the airline’s top priority,” a passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, told THISDAY.
The flight landed at 2:23 a.m, and medical personnel immediately attended to Leslie, who was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment. Meanwhile, the remaining passengers were taken to a hotel pending rescheduling.
Compounding the disruption, the flight was subsequently cancelled due to crew timeout, a regulation limiting the maximum duty hours for cockpit and cabin staff to ensure passenger safety.
A passenger recounted that about 30 minutes into the flight, the captain requested any medical personnel on board to assist Leslie. When his condition did not improve, the decision was made to return to Lagos.
“Upon landing, the medical team quickly boarded the aircraft, attended to the affected passenger, and ensured he was safely taken to a hospital. The rest of the passengers were de-boarded and accommodated at a hotel while awaiting further arrangements,” the passenger added.
United Airlines has not yet provided details on the next available flight for affected passengers, but emphasized that the safety and well-being of all travelers remains its highest priority.
Chinedu Eze
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