Ethiopian Airlines death probe as a Nigerian family seeks answers over the mysterious death of their mother on an Abuja to Washington flight

A Nigerian family has raised the alarm over the mysterious death of their mother aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abuja to Washington DC in the United States, calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

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The family, which requested anonymity, made the appeal public through social media after alleging that their mother died mid air under unclear conditions during the journey on January 19, 2026.

In a video shared on X, one of the deceased woman’s daughters urged passengers who travelled on the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, ET 950, to come forward with any information that could shed light on what transpired before her mother’s death.

She said repeated efforts by the family to obtain a clear explanation from the airline had proved unsuccessful, stressing that the woman was in good health before embarking on the trip.

According to her, the family decided to go public in order to attract the attention of relevant authorities and compel transparency from all parties involved.

“This woman boarded Ethiopian Airlines on January 19, 2026, from Abuja to Washington DC but died inside the plane,” she said. “She was not sick before the journey, yet the airline has refused to explain what happened to us.”

The daughter further alleged that airline officials who attempted to administer first aid during the flight had been warned not to speak about the incident, describing the silence as deeply distressing for the grieving family.

She appealed to Nigerians to continue sharing the video online, saying public pressure was crucial to ensuring accountability and justice.

The appeal quickly gained traction across social media platforms, with many Nigerians demanding a transparent investigation by aviation authorities and the airline.

Reacting to the development, the spokesman of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, confirmed that the regulator was aware of the incident and had commenced engagement with both the family and Ethiopian Airlines.

“The NCAA is aware of this case. We are in touch with the family of the deceased as well as the airline,” Achimugu said. “Ethiopian Airlines has submitted their report, and we are waiting for some reports from the family.”

He added that the authority had been in regular contact with the family and was committed to ensuring that the matter was thoroughly addressed.

“We speak with the family almost daily, and we are committed to ensuring that full closure is achieved,” he said.

When contacted, Ethiopian Airlines’ communication strategist, Ikechi Uko, requested that questions be forwarded to him for onward transmission to the airline.

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However, no response had been received from Ethiopian Airlines as at the time of filing this report.