Family Kicks As Nigerian Mum Dies Onboard US-Bound Ethiopian Airlines Flight Under Mysterious Circumstances

The family of Mrs. Patience Ngozi Adiele has cried out and demanded answers following the sudden death of their mother, who reportedly passed on while onboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight en route from Abuja to the United States.

While the circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear, the bereaved family has accused the airline of deliberately concealing the true cause of the incident.

According to the family, Mrs. Adiele boarded Ethiopian Airlines flights ET950 and ET500 on January 19, 2026, departing from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with the intention of returning to Washington DC, United States.

The daughter of the deceased, Adiele Jacqueline, raised the alarm over in a video posted on the social media.

Jacqueline explained that her 70-year-old mother had travelled to Nigeria from the United States during the Christmas season to celebrate the holidays and her birthday with family members.

The family, however, confirmed that she sadly passed on onboard the aircraft on January 20, 2026, before reaching her destination.

She further stated that her mother was an experienced international traveler, with over 10 years of frequent trips between the United Kingdom and the United States, and had no known health challenges prior to boarding the flight.

While sobbing in the viral video, Jacqueline recounted the chain of events that unfolded during the journey.

In her words, “So my mom left Abuja. She was with Ethiopian airlines from Abuja in the afternoon about 1:35 pm coming to Washington Airport. I'm aware that this airline was going to make a brief stop in Addis Ababa and another stop in Rome before they arrive in the United States. In my own US local time, at about 5, strange number called me three times. The last one I picked up but I couldn't hear the person and the person wrote a text message and introduced himself that he's a physician onboard with my mom currently coming to DC. He said they have to ask me some questions about a patient which is my mom because she's sick. But I'm like sick because when my mom left, she wasn't sick and he asked me some questions about her medical conditions and I shared those information and he told me a little bit background that she was sick earlier and complained that she's on oxygen and she's still on oxygen but she's more responsive now talking to them that they plan to get my mom to the hospital in the United States of America and the would take good care of my mom that they just want let me to know and thanked me for providing some information that I really helped them and I was glad I said thank you for reaching out.”

She continued to narrate how all communication suddenly stopped despite her repeated attempts to reach her mother.

“A couple of minutes in between I kept on texting, calling mom, where is mom. Can she talk. Can I talk to mom. But there was no follow up. In the morning I got my daughter ready to go to school I dropped her off on my way back to the airport halfway I got a call from strange number saying sorry this patient could not make it. What happened? What happened in the air? What were the symptoms? Up to now I am still waiting for a report of what happened. authorities here say that i have to give them at least 1 to 2 weeks before they can finalize the report to tell me what happened. I didnt get the chance to meet the crew members to meet anybody from the airline”

Jacqueline lamented that neither she nor any family member was allowed to meet with crew members or airline representatives upon arrival, adding that no official medical or incident report has been made available to the family so far.

She therefore appealed to passengers who were also onboard Ethiopian Airlines flights departing from Abuja International Airport on January 19, 2026, to come forward with eyewitness accounts on what could have gone wrong during the flight.

She urged such individuals to contact the family via [email protected].

As of the time of filing this report, Ethiopian Airlines has not issued any official statement or explanation regarding the incident.

Reacting to the viral video, a social media user, Evang Bestman Osaigbovo, offered some clarifications on the airline’s flight operations.

“Ethiopian Airways does not operate direct flights from Abuja to the United States.The airline connects passengers to the United States via its base in Adis Ababa so its either the woman passed on during the flight from Abuja to Addis Ababa or from Addis Ababa to New York. Either ways, I hope she gets the clarity she deserves.”

Meanwhile, the incident has reignited public scrutiny of Ethiopian Airlines’ compliance with passenger welfare and safety standards.

It would be recalled that in 2024, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) imposed sanctions on Ethiopian Airlines alongside four other international carriers for violations bordering on passenger rights.

The sanctions were issued under Part 19 of the NCAA regulations, which govern passenger protection. Ethiopian Airlines was specifically accused of failing to process refunds within stipulated timelines, mishandling and short-landing passenger baggage, and repeatedly failing to respond promptly to regulatory directives issued by the NCAA.

Recall that the Ethiopian Airlines' involvement in the now-annulled Nigeria Air project has been quite controversial. The airline allegedly supplied an aircraft for a staged display, misleading Nigerians into thinking that the national carrier was operational. The partnership was criticized as deceptive, with critics calling it a scam. The government hasn't publicly disclosed Ethiopian Airlines' role, but former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika is facing corruption charges related to the project.

This writer is urging Nigerian government to investigate Ethiopian Airlines' alleged role in the tragic death of Mrs. Patience Ngozi Adiele. The family is seeking answers, and the Minister of Aviation, Chief Festus Egwarewa Keyamo, CON SAN must rise to the occasion and intervene or suspend the airline from operating in the country.

This incident has raised concerns about the airline's operations and accountability.