The British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Peter Carter Leslie, Tuesday, slumped and died from a possible heart attack on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, reports have said.
Leslie had arrived Lagos on United Airlines Flight UA143 at 3.50 pm local time, but slumped in the avio-bridge while he was alighting from the aircraft.
Officials from British High Commission and the Port Health Services were said to have tried to resuscitate him with oxygen but the effort failed.
“We have an incident here. The UK Deputy High Commissioner who just arrived this afternoon on a United Airlines flight just slumped as he was coming out of the aircraft and died. He is being evaluated at this moment,” Thisday quoted a source as saying.
Other sources revealed that co-travellers scampered for safety when the diplomat slumped as they feared he might be showing symptoms of the deadly Ebola virus.
The deceased was revealed to have been gasping for breath on leaving the air craft and showed apparent need of oxygen, which was brought to resuscitate him but it was too late.
“The Port Health Services was called today (2/9/14) by a FAAN (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria) medical nurse at about 4.07 pm from the D arrival screening point to see a passenger (the deceased) said to have arrived onboard a United Airlines flight from Houston, Texas.
“It was reported that after disembarking, the passenger was observed to be clutching his chest and asking for help.
“In the course of examination, he was asked if he was Asthmatic, and he said ‘MAY BE’.
“On examination, he was found to be pale, in respiratory distress (gasping for breath), his pulse was rapid and thready. Based on his response to the question if he was asthmatic, a Ventolin inhaler was administered, but was not effective, as the patient was restless and threw off the inhaler to the floor. He was placed on the left lateral position and at the same time, oxygen was called for.
“Efforts were made to administer oxygen, while a second doctor was called and suction applied via a suction machine to clear the airway.
“Subsequently, the patient suffered a cardio-pulmonary arrest; the radial and carotid pulses were no longer palpable and patient was observed to be cyanosed. Attempts at resuscitation proved abortive. Pupils were fixed and dilated and patient was certified dead at 4.26 pm,” a letter written by the Federal Ministry of Health Port Health Services and signed by Doctors E.E. Ukatu and Abdullai stated.
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