Aviation
Ibom Air Flight Returns to Abuja After Passenger Collapses Mid-Air
An Ibom Air flight from Abuja to Lagos was forced to make an emergency return to base on Monday after a female passenger suffered a sudden medical emergency shortly after take-off.
The incident happened aboard Flight 561, which had departed from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. According to Ibom Air, the Senior Cabin Crew Member (SCCM) had been informed before departure that a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) was onboard with her family.
Shortly after departure, the passenger’s condition worsened, prompting the crew to activate emergency procedures. A call for medical professionals onboard went unanswered, leaving the cabin crew to administer oxygen, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and other first-aid measures.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that the crew applied the internationally recognized DRABCDE protocol (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure). The passenger, who initially showed no signs of breathing or pulse, was moved to the galley area where CPR and oxygen were administered.
With the situation deteriorating, the captain made the decision to return to Abuja. Crew members rotated in performing CPR until the aircraft landed safely. On arrival, the passenger who had been successfully resuscitated was handed over to the airport’s emergency medical response team. Reports confirmed she was stable at the time of transfer, with both breathing and pulse restored.
Ibom Air further confirmed that once the passenger was evacuated for further treatment, the aircraft was later prepared and continued its journey to Lagos. The airline praised the professionalism of its crew and the swift intervention of the airport’s medical response team.
