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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The family of Mrs. Patience Ngozi Adiele, a 70-year-old Nigerian returnee from the United States, has demanded transparency and accountability from Ethiopian Airlines following her sudden death onboard one of its international flights.
Mrs. Adiele had returned to Nigeria during the 2025 Christmas festive season to celebrate her 70th birthday with family and loved ones. She reportedly died in transit while flying back to the United States on January 20, 2026.
According to the family, the deceased boarded Ethiopian Airlines flights ET950 and ET500 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on January 19, 2026, en route to the United States. She did not arrive at her destination alive.
Family members said Mrs. Adiele was an experienced international traveller with over 10 years of long-haul travel history, frequently flying between Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States, without any prior incident.
“She was not new to international travel. Our mother had flown this same route many times over the years without complications,” a family member said.
In a bid to understand what transpired onboard the aircraft, the family has appealed to passengers who travelled on the same Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abuja on January 19, 2026, to come forward with any eyewitness accounts.
“We are calling on anyone who was on board the flight to share what they saw or experienced. Even the smallest detail could help us understand what went wrong,” the family appealed.
Passengers with relevant information have been urged to contact the family via princeucheadiele@yahoo.com.
In an exclusive interview with with Pointblanknews.com, the family in a conference call expressed deep concern over what they described as a complete lack of official communication from Ethiopian Airlines since the incident.
“Since our mother’s passing, Ethiopian Airlines has not provided any formal explanation, medical report, or incident briefing to the family. This silence has only deepened our pain and distress,” they said.
The family emphasized that they are not making allegations regarding the cause of death but are entitled to clarity, transparency, and humane engagement from the airline.
They called on Ethiopian Airlines to provide a detailed account of events before and after the incident, release all relevant medical, flight, and incident reports, and engage constructively with the family in line with international aviation standards.
“This is about truth, transparency, and dignity. Our mother deserves that, and so do we,” the family stated.
The family also confirmed that they have instructed their legal representatives to pursue all lawful steps to obtain answers, while reserving their rights under international and domestic aviation laws.
Although the exact cause of death has not been established, family members noted that medical possibilities such as pulmonary embolism associated with long-haul travel cannot be ruled out, pending official findings.
“This is not a witch-hunt,” the family stressed. “We are simply seeking answers, accountability, and respect for a woman who lost her life while under the care of an international airline.”
As of the time of filing this report, Ethiopian Airlines has not issued any public statement on the incident.