Nigerian student dies in Cairo while traveling to London
A Nigerian student's voyage from Lagos to London on Egypt Air took a terrible turn when it was claimed that she became ill in flight and her away in a Cairo hospital.
Meshioye Remilekun Toyosi's family is looking for information and support to help them get her remains back to Nigeria.
The unfortunate voyage started on Monday when the woman left Lagos' Murtala Muhammed International Airport in hopes of making it to London.
Mrs. Olufunmilola Olaniyi-Alabi, Meshioye's older sister, described what transpired, saying that the family had attempted to contact the airline's customer service and all other phone numbers listed on their website but had no response throughout Wednesday. When the call was answered, they abruptly ended it.
She said, “It was only once that a man answered the call that we put through to the Egypt Air Regional Office in London and he said the London office was not aware of what happened and they don’t have information to share with us. We then contacted the agent who sold the ticket to her and the agent sent us proof that she did not board the plane going to Heathrow from Cairo. It was at this point we intensified our efforts as regards trying to get in touch with Egypt Air.”
“The regional manager in their London office made some calls on Thursday afternoon in her office to their Cairo office. She later informed us that Remi fell sick on the plane and on landing in Cairo they rushed her to the hospital in town where she later died. Efforts to obtain more information from her were not quite successful as to how she died. She said the Nigerian embassy had been informed and they were the ones that should have contacted us. She later called the Nigerian consular (Mr Saliu Agraza).”
Speaking further, she said she felt strongly that Egypt Air should have contacted the passenger’s next of kin instead of them struggling to get information, which the airline was yet to provide as of press time.
She said, "We spoke to the Nigerian Embassy, represented by Mr. Saliu Agraza, who stated that Egypt Air had just told them of Remi's death and sent her body to them on Tuesday; they had no additional information or way to get in touch with her family.
“Eygpt Air further said only Agraza, being the Nigerian consular, would be able to write and demand what happened on the plane, at the airport and request for all her things and documents that they have in their possession, including the CCTV footage in the plane and at the airport.
“I am of the opinion that Egypt Air is hiding some truth as to what happened to her in the plane and on landing at the airport on Monday night. They don’t want to take responsibility for what happened to Remi. As the family of Remilekun, we are demanding for her body to be returned to Nigeria by Egypt Air at their expense and they should return all her luggage to Lagos where she boarded the plane on Monday, September 4.”
Meanwhile, a top-ranking officer with the airline, who preferred not to be named as the airline was yet to release an official statement, disclosed that the deceased was indeed on the said flight but was rushed to a hospital by the airline on arrival at Cairo, Egypt.
The source said, “From the report that we received, she was sick on the flight and was reportedly transferred to the hospital in Cairo. When she died, they (the airline) informed the Nigerian Consulate in Cairo to take steps on what was required to repatriate her body to Nigeria. The airline took her to the hospital and stood as surety for her and when she passed on they informed the Nigerian Consulate in Cairo about the case. We are working on how to get her body back to Nigeria.”
Another member of the family who preferred not to be named said one of the most distressing aspects of the incident was that the family was not informed by the airline about her passing and that, instead, they received the news from the consular office in Cairo. The family members noted that the lack of communication from the airline only added to the family’s shock and grief.
However, in order to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Remi's passing, the family has demanded explanations from the Nigerian authorities, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They called for a full inquiry into the incident and asked for advice and assistance in returning her remains to Nigeria.
