The British Deputy High Commissioner to
Nigeria, Ambassador Peter Carter Leslie, slumped and died Tuesday from a
possible heart attack on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, Lagos.
 |
| Late, Peter Carter Leslie |
The deceased who was said to have
arrived Lagos on a United Airlines Flight UA143 at 3.50 pm local time
slumped in the avio-bridge while he was alighting from the aircraft.
The British High Commission and the Port Health Services tried to resuscitate him with oxygen but the effort failed.
It was learnt that as the deceased
started gasping for breath as soon as he was disembarking the aircraft
and needed oxygen which was brought to resuscitate him but failed to
recover.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the British High Commission is yet to give a public statement.
However, a letter written by the Federal
Ministry of Health Port Health Services, which was made available to
reporters stated: “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.”
