10 February 2023 , 09:49
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A British husband has collapsed and died after getting of a British Airways flight to South Africa with his wife having taken off from Heathrow just 11 hours earlier.
Michael Joseph Morris was on flight BA057 and landed at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday and had gone to the washroom while awaiting luggage.
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) CEO Mpumi Mpofu said that the man had suddenly collapsed in the international arrivals toilet and received medical aid.
She said: "Acsa paramedics responded immediately and attended to Mr Morris but he was declared dead at the scene and we provided assistance to his distraught wife."
A British Embassy official was on the same flight and took control and offered consular support to Mr Morris’s wife who is thought to have been with other family members.
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He had been flying to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg (johannesburg-airport.co.za)They are all due to fly back to London Heathrow airport today. The cause of his death is under investigation but is not said to be suspicious, Acsa said.
A British Airways source said: "The poor man was on the BA057 which had just landed to go on holiday with his family when he collapsed in the gentleman's lavatory on arrival.
"Everything possible was done to save him but he died. The family have abandoned their holiday while the British Embassy helps organise the repatriation of the body."
In November, a man died onboard an easyJet flight that was travelling to London from Cyprus.
The plane was headed for Gatwick Airport when the male passenger became ill mid-flight.
The man had gone to the toilet while waiting for luggage to arrive when he passed away (Getty Images)Urgent attempts to resuscitate him using a defibrillator sadly proved unsuccessful.
Other passengers first grew concerned when a dark-haired traveller, aged around 50, wasn't waking up.
And in August, a young family was left "traumatised" after a mum died suddenly while flying back to the UK.
"One of a kind" mum and midwife Helen Rhodes was travelling with her family as part of a "new adventure" returning home after spending 15 years living in Hong Kong.
A few hours in, Helen was found unresponsive and couldn't be resuscitated after passing away in her sleep.
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Tragically, for the remaining eight hours of the flight, Helen's broken children sat next to their mum in a "breathless sleep" until they landed in Frankfurt, a friend of the family wrote.
Though it was an "extremely traumatising" experience, the "devastated" family had the opportunity to say their last goodbyes while sitting beside her.