The family, which asked not to be named, took to social media to seek public assistance, alleging that the woman died mid-air under unclear circumstances.
A Nigerian family has raised the alarm over the death of their mother aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abuja to Washington DC, United States, demanding clarity over the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The family, which asked not to be named, took to social media to seek public assistance, alleging that the woman died mid-air under unclear circumstances.
In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), one of the deceased woman’s daughters appealed to passengers who were on the same flight to come forward with information on what transpired before her mother’s death.
The daughter said the family had made several attempts to get explanations from Ethiopian Airlines but had yet to receive any satisfactory response.
She maintained that her mother was not sick before embarking on the trip.
The family also urged Nigerians to continue sharing the video to attract the attention of relevant authorities and compel the airline to provide details about the incident.
She said: “This woman boarded Ethiopian Airlines on 19th January, 2026 from Abuja to Washington DC but died inside the plane. The family has contacted the airline to know the circumstances surrounding her death because she was not sick, but the airline has refused to speak with us.
“We are using this opportunity to call on anyone who travelled on the same aircraft, ET 950, to please get in touch with us through the email address I will drop here.
“Nigerians, Help Us Share This Message Until It Reaches The Appropriate Authorities. This Is Our Mother, Who Died Onboard An Ethiopian Airline Flight While Traveling From Abuja To The U.S On Jan 19, 2026. She Was Very Healthy Before Boarding The Flight. Since Then, The Airline… pic.twitter.com/Fg5IJMd9ux
— Somto Okonkwo (@General_Somto) January 25, 2026
“Even airline officials who administered first aid to her on the plane have told us that they have been warned not to speak with the family or anyone about the incident. The appeal has attracted widespread attention online, with many Nigerians demanding transparency from the airline and authorities. Reacting to the development, the spokesman of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, confirmed that the authority was aware of the incident and was engaging both the family and the airline. He said: “The NCAA is aware of this case. We are in touch with the family of the deceased as well as the airline. Ethiopian Airlines has submitted their report, and we are waiting for some reports from the family.
The NCAA is aware of this case. We are in touch with the family of the deceased as well as the airline. Ethiopian have submitted their report, and we are waiting for some reports from the family. We speak with the family almost daily (we already spoke today), and we are… https://t.co/yK8jWRacnQ — Michael Achimugu (@mikeachimugu01) January 29, 2026
“We speak with the family almost daily (we already spoke today), and we are committed to ensuring that full closure is achieved.”