In a shocking turn of events, the family of Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye, a Nigerian passenger who tragically passed away onboard Egypt Air flight MS 876 during a connecting flight to Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom, has strongly criticized both the airline and Egyptian authorities for their handling of the situation.
The grieving family has called upon the federal government to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Toyosi’s untimely death while in the custody of Egypt Air.
Remi, whose UK visa indicated that she held a student work permit, had planned to connect from London Heathrow via Cairo on Tuesday, September 5, aboard Egypt Air flight MS 777. However, she never reached her intended destination, as the airline inexplicably deposited her lifeless body in a Cairo morgue.
The family was left dumbfounded by the airline’s failure to notify them of Remi’s passing. Instead, they received the distressing news from the Egyptian Consular office in Cairo, leaving them in disbelief as they had presumed their daughter had safely arrived in the United Kingdom.
Details of Toyosi’s travel itinerary, as observed by our correspondent, revealed that she initially traveled aboard a Boeing 737-800 on the first leg of her journey to Cairo, with a Boeing 777-300 scheduled to convey her and fellow passengers to London from the Egyptian capital.
Mrs. Olufunmilola Olaniyi-Alabi, a relative of Toyosi residing in Leeds, UK, expressed shock and frustration at Egypt Air’s inability to establish contact with the family of a passenger who had chosen their services. She recounted their futile attempts to reach the airline’s customer care and provided contact numbers listed on their website, which yielded no response. When they did manage to get through to Egypt Air’s regional office in London, the response was equally uninformative.
“We were left with no choice but to report to the UK Police Department on Wednesday,” Mrs. Olaniyi-Alabi explained. “They later confirmed to us that our sister was not in the UK and advised us to contact Cairo or Lagos airports. We 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.”
The family is still struggling to come to terms with the news of their daughter’s death. Mrs. Olaniyi-Alabi emphasized, “The Nigerian government must not allow a citizen of our country to be treated this way by any nation. We demand justice and an investigation from the Nigerian authorities.”
The airline, in a statement, confirmed that Remi had fallen ill and was rushed to a hospital in Cairo. According to the statement, she had reported feeling unwell upon arrival at the airport’s transit area. Airport quarantine officials examined her and deemed it necessary to hospitalize her before clearing her for entry into the country.
This tragic incident has raised serious questions about the airline’s communication and handling of passenger emergencies, leaving Toyosi’s family and the public demanding answers and accountability.
Credit: Leadership
