Passenger Dies On United Airlines Flight: Identity Of 67-Year-Old Man Released

A passenger collapsed in the aisle of a United Airlines plane and died during the flight before arriving at Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday. According to Houston police, the man’s death occurred when Flight #143 was on its way to Houston from Nigeria. At 9 pm, the man fell in the aisle and CPR was administered, KHOU reports. The plane landed at 11 pm.

The Houston Fire Department was on the scene when the aircraft landed. After first responders tried reviving the passenger, he was pronounced dead. An autopsy at Harris County Medical Examiner is being conducted to find out what caused his death.

Although the cause of his death is still unknown, the passenger is identified as Benedict Sylvester Igwedike, 67. Houston police say Igwedike was from Lagos, Nigeria and died on board the United Airlines flight Tuesday morning. HPD Homicide Division Senior Police Officer M. Miller says that Igwedike died in the air after the flight left Lagos. The plane was rerouted to Houston after it refueled in Dakar, Senegal. His death happened shortly after the flight departed Nigeria.

Click 2 Houston reports Authorities are investigating the death of a 67-year-old passenger on a United Airlines flight.

Houston police said the passenger, Benedict Sylvester Igwedike, of Lagos, Nigeria, died on board United flight 143 Tuesday morning.

A spokesperson with United said, “We are assisting the passenger’s family with their needs.”

Houston police had dealt with a similar incident not too long ago when another passenger died on Qatar Airways. A passenger from Saudi Arabia — Fatimah M. Alsiari — died a few hours into a flight from Qatar. A doctor on the plane tried saving the woman, but was unable to.

It’s a scary event for airline passengers and crew when someone has a health problem that goes seriously wrong to the point that death occurs. It’s an uneasy feeling and sense of helplessness aboard the plane.

The Inquisitr has written on other instances in which passengers on commercial airliners have died on a flight. There have also been alarming situations requiring emergency landings due to sudden and unexpected circumstances. Considering the number of people who take part in air travel, it’s not overly shocking to hear about someone experiencing an emergency of some sort.

A lot of issues facing air travel is unruly passengers due to be intoxicated or acting out their frustrations. Even incidences involving children have appeared in headlines.

[Image via SF Blog]