It was gathered that passengers boarded the plane at about 12.30pm, while the departure time on their tickets was 1pm.
Airports sources say some of the passengers and officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja confirmed that the incident happened when the travellers were disembarking from the aircraft after it had touched down at the NAIA.
It was gathered that the passenger collapsed as the others were alighting from the aircraft.
It was further learnt that the emergency response team of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria delayed for about 30 minutes before showing up with an ambulance.
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FAAN, however, denied the claim as it argued that its Port Health officials provided an ambulance immediately they were contacted by the crew of Air Peace, Vanguard reports.
An official of Air Peace, who pleaded not to be named as he was not authorised to speak on the matter, told our correspondent that the airline had to revive the man with oxygen and waited for close to 30 minutes before the Port Health officials arrived.
“The crew was able to get oxygen to revive the passenger and he was a bit stable before he was transferred to the Port Health officials of FAAN, who delayed for about 30 minutes; but the good news is that the man is okay,” the source said.
When contacted, the Deputy General Manager, Public Affairs, FAAN Abuja, Mrs. Henriatta Yakubu, told our correspondent that the passenger was attended to at the agency’s clinic.
She dismissed claims that Port Health officials arrived late, stressing that they rushed to the scene immediately they got a call from the airline.
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By 6pm on Wednesday when Yakubu spoke to our correspondent, she stated that the passenger was just being discharged from the airport’s clinic.
She said:
“The airline called the Port Health unit and they took the passenger to the FAAN clinic. I spoke with our doctor and he confirmed to me that the man is okay and they are discharging him. He was received by the Port Health officials in an ambulance.
He was taken immediately to our clinic and there he received treatment, and I have been told that they are about discharging him.”
