Nigerians in the UK fundraise to return the body of woman who suffered cardiac arrest just after landing

NIGERIAN well-wishers in the UK have launched a fundraising campaign on the JustGiving online platform aimed at raising £20,000 to enable them return the body of Oluranti Akinyemi back home after she suffered a heart attack within a day of arriving in London.

Mrs Akinyemi, had flown into the UK to attend her son's graduation ceremony but suffered a cardiac arrest just 20 hours after landing. In what has been a huge shock for her family, Mrs Akinyemi's remains now need to be returned and the fundraising campaign to facilitate this has so far generated £2,087, with 97 donors contributing.

In the appeal posted on the platform, Adekunle Ogundana said the funds would be used for her repatriation and funeral. He added: “Help us bring our sister, mother, friend and beloved home, Mrs Oluranti Olufunmilayo Esther Akinyemi, née Oluwalana/Ogundana.

“She suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of the night and was rushed to Luton and Dunstable Hospital. After three days on life support, she was declared clinically dead.”

Her family described the incident as sudden and devastating, noting that funds were urgently needed to repatriate her body to Nigeria, settle outstanding medical bills in the UK and cover funeral expenses. Mrs Akinyemi, believed to be a mother of four, reportedly arrived in the UK on February 11 for a graduation scheduled for February 18.

She apparently suffered cardiac arrest on February 12 and remained in a coma for three days before she was confirmed dead on February 14, 2026. Following the incident, some social media users advised families to take precautionary health measures when elderly relatives travel abroad.

One Instagram user who is backing the cause urged travellers to stay hydrated, avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine, move around during long flights and consider compression socks to aid circulation. Another recounted a similar incident involving a woman who reportedly collapsed after arriving in the UK for childcare support.

Another contributor called for better medical collaboration between health authorities and the aviation industry to address travel-related health emergencies. He added: “If Nigeria were a serious, sensible country, we should have a pulmonary embolism team that works diligently with the aviation industry to create guidelines.”