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From Kayemo News
The family of Late Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye has demanded for transparency, accountability and justice over the tragic and untimely death of their beloved daughter and sister on board Egyptair flight MS 876 on Monday, September 4, 2023.
The family in a statement signed by the late Toyosi’s Dad, Elder Olatunji Israel Meshioye, which was made available to Kayemo News, accused Management of Egypt air of falsehood and deliberate misinformation of the public about the tragic death of their daughter.
The family said it has petitioned civil aviation regulatory bodies such as Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority as well as national and foreign government ministries, departments, and agencies in both Nigeria and Egypt) such as Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Ministers of Aviation in Nigeria and Egypt, among others, to held them get justice.
They demands the immediate repatriation of the body of Remilekun to Lagos, Nigeria, and all associated costs, including mortuary and burial costs of the deceased, to be covered by Egyptair, at no cost to the family; and Egyptair’s firm commitment to adequate compliance with all applicable compensatory demands in such matter, and as required by the international regulators of commercial aviation industry— IATA, ICAO— and the Montreal Convention of 1999.
The family also said that it believes that Egyptair has not shown transparency, which is expected of a service provider, but has instead resorted to propaganda, despite a precious human life have been lost in their care, yet unaccounted for,
They cited a public statement attributed to Egyptair. Specifically, in a report published by The Nation newspaper on its official website on September 9, 2023, titled Family demands corpse of Nigerian lady who died travelling to London [Family demands corpse of Nigerian lady who died travelling to London.
The family quoted the report, saying: “A statement sent by Egypt Air in Lagos stated that the passengers’ route was Lagos-London via Cairo on the 4th of September. According to the airline, ‘When the passenger arrived at the transit area, she reported she was sick. The airport quarantine department was called to check her and decided she needed to be hospitalized. The airport authorities cleared and stamped her into the country and transferred her to the hospital. The Nigerian Embassy in Cairo was contacted (Tarek from public relations department) and was informed about the case. More information and the following procedures to bring the body back need to be through the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo,’ the airline stated.”
According to the statement, almost four weeks after the reported response by Egyptair, there has been no rebuttal by the airline. “Therefore, the family of Remilekun believes the statement to be an official and irrefutable approved response by Egyptair Management. The family makes the following disclosures:
Almost four (4) weeks after the death of Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye on board Egyptair Flight 876, the Management of the airline has avoided the family of the deceased like a plague, and have not written, called, or texted the family. The family only reads about their “responses” on pages of newspapers just like anyone.
“The family of Remilekun received from the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo a medical report from the Ministry of Health, Quarantine Department, stationed at the Cairo International Airport, on a medical examination conducted on Remilekun on Monday, September 4, 2023, by one of their doctors, Dr. Haya El-Sayed. The reports states as follows:
“According to status record at airport terminal 3 on Monday 4/9/2023 at 21: 30, a quarantine doctor was called to check a patient on board Egypt Air flight No. MS 876 coming from Lagos. Dr. Haya El-Sayed checked the Nigerian patient called Remilekun Toyosi, passport No. B00817883. After checking the passenger, the doctor detected that she isn’t responding to any external stimuli. She was completely unconscious, no pulse and respiratory malfunction.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed immediately. The ambulance was called immediately. However, the patient was not responding to the cardiopulmonary. The passenger was delivered to Heliopolis Hospital as a dead body.”
“Following the medical report, the family expected that the process of repatriating the corpse of Remilekun to Nigeria for a peaceful burial would kick off smoothly, which required a Death Certificate. However, the family was surprised when EgyptAir sent a “Death certificate” to the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo, which was forwarded to the family of Remilekun, and on the certificate, Remilekun’s place of death was stated as Heliopolis hospital, Cairo, and signed by a doctor in that hospital! The family rejected this “Death Certificate” and requested the correct one to be prepared to agree with the official medical report referenced above, which stated that Remilekun died on board Egyptair Flight MS 876, and that “the passenger was delivered to Heliopolis Hospital as a dead body.
” What the family thought would be a simple correction, took an unexpected twist when Egyptair rejected, ignored, and refused to oblige. The family then became suspicious: what could Egyptair be hiding; why would it be hard for Egyptair to cause the correction of the “Death Certificate” in order to avoid conflict between the two vital documents; or could it not be an “error” that was made on the “Death Certificate; could it be a deliberate “error” made on purpose?
“The family of Remilekun demanded from EgyptAir a full account of what transpired on-board Egyptair Flight MS 876 on that fateful day when Remilekun died, including flight incident report and CCTV footage.”
Besides, the family has given necessary germane instructions. The negligence and lack of customer care by Egyptair towards Late Miss Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye and her family should remind all Nigerians that now is the time to make a choice how we want service providers doing business in our country to treat us going forward. For the memory, dignity and honor, not only of Remilekun, but of all other victims of Egyptair worldwide, we must hold Egyptair to account.
Detailed revelation of information at the family’s disposal shall be revealed in due course.
EgyptAir’s Disturbing Records
It is noteworthy that Egyptair has had a history of secrecy about managing passenger-or safety-related matters, lack of transparency about actions of their cabin crew, and indiscipline among its on-board crew made worse by apparent cover-up or revisionism by Egyptian aviation officials.
The family had to resort to getting a legal team to take the case up and on 29th September 2023, Egyptair was served a letter which they are to response to within 7days.
An explanation in writing why the family of the deceased is yet to be officially and directly contacted despite the fact that there is available contact information for the purpose.
An unequivocal written apology and expression of condolence to the family;
The issuance of a proper, truthful, and accurate Death Certificate for the dignity and memory of Miss. Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye, indicating the accurate time and place of death, as contained in the Medical Report from the Ministry of Health, Quarantine Department, stationed at the Cairo International Airport;
