An Ibom Air flight from Abuja to Lagos was forced to make an air return on Monday after a female passenger suffered a medical emergency shortly after take-off.
The incident occurred onboard Flight 561, which had departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for Lagos. According to the airline, the Senior Cabin Crew Member (SCCM) had earlier been notified of a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) travelling with her family.
Shortly after take-off, the passenger’s condition deteriorated, prompting the crew to spring into action. A public call for medical personnel onboard yielded no response, leaving the cabin crew to administer oxygen, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and other first-aid protocols.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the crew applied the DRABCDE protocol — Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure — in line with global aviation safety best practice. The passenger, who initially had no detectable pulse or breathing, was moved to the galley area where chest compressions and oxygen administration were carried out.
Faced with the worsening situation, the captain made the decision to return to Abuja. During the flight back, crew members took turns 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. She was reported stable at the time of transfer, with both pulse and breathing restored.
Ibom Air confirmed that after the passenger was evacuated for further care, the flight was turned around and later resumed its journey to Lagos. The airline praised the professionalism of its crew and acknowledged the swift intervention of Abuja airport’s medical team.
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