Passenger dies after medical emergency on Kenya Airways flight to Lagos
A Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.
A passenger has died after suffering a medical emergency aboard a Kenya Airways (KQ) flight from Nairobi to Lagos, Nigeria.
According to Kenya Airways, the passenger became unresponsive shortly before the aircraft landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday night.
Kenya Airways said in a statement on Wednesday that the incident occurred at about 9.20 pm Nigerian time, approximately 20 minutes before the scheduled landing.
“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,” stated Kenya Airways.
The aircraft landed at the Lagos airport at about 9.41pm, after which medical personnel boarded the plane to attend to the passenger.
According to the airline, the passenger’s condition became critical while the aircraft was still in the air, prompting the crew to activate the appropriate emergency response procedures.
The crew administered first aid while preparing for the aircraft’s arrival in Lagos, where medical personnel were arranged to meet the plane.
Kenya Airways expressed condolences to the passenger’s family and friends and apologised for any inconvenience caused by the incident.
“We convey our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and apologise for any inconvenience this incident may have caused. We uphold and respect the privacy and dignity of all involved,” the airline said.
The national carrier said it was working with the deceased passenger’s family, local authorities and aviation regulators to provide the necessary support and facilitate the required processes following the death.
KQ also said it was respecting the privacy and dignity of everyone affected by the incident.
“Kenya Airways is providing the necessary support in close coordination with the deceased’s family, local authorities, and aviation regulators,” the airline added.
The airline did not disclose the identity or nationality of the passenger.
The latest incident is not the first time a Kenya Airways passenger has died after suffering a medical emergency while travelling.
In April 2025, an elderly passenger on a Kenya Airways flight from New York to Nairobi died after falling ill while on board. The flight was diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, to allow the passenger to receive urgent medical attention, but the passenger was pronounced dead before the aircraft landed.
Earlier, in 2022, Kenya Airways recorded three separate passenger deaths over four weeks in August and September involving flights operating between Nairobi, Mombasa, New York and Casablanca.
The first incident occurred on August 22, 2022, aboard Flight KQ 003 from New York to Nairobi. A passenger fell ill during the flight, prompting the aircraft to divert to Casablanca, Morocco. After the aircraft landed, Moroccan medical personnel attended to the passenger and determined that the individual had died.
Ten days later, on September 1, 2022, another passenger travelling on Flight KQ 002 from Nairobi to New York was found unresponsive during the flight. The passenger was subsequently confirmed dead.
The third incident occurred on September 14, 2022, as passengers were boarding Flight KQ 612 from Nairobi to Mombasa. A passenger experienced severe breathing difficulties while boarding the aircraft. Medical personnel responded, but the passenger was pronounced dead while the aircraft was still on the ground at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The three incidents, occurring within a span of just over three weeks, involved passengers who became critically ill either before departure or during international and domestic flights operated by Kenya Airways.
The incidents highlight the challenges airlines and medical teams face when passengers suffer serious medical emergencies during air travel.
However, the reported cases involved individual medical emergencies and do not, on their own, indicate a link between the deaths or any safety issue involving Kenya Airways aircraft.
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