UK Deputy High Commissioner Dies At Lagos Airport

The British High Commission has confirmed the death of its Deputy High
Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Peter Carter, who slumped and died
on Tuesday from a possible heart attack on arrival at the Murtala
Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The deceased who arrived Lagos on United Airlines Flight UA143 at
3.50pm local time slumped in the avio-bridge while he was alighting
from the aircraft.

Nobody knew the cause of the death or if he was sick aboard the
aircraft, but a worker with one of the aviation handling companies
disclosed that he saw the gathering of officers from the high
commission who kept mum and looked solemn, before he learnt about the
tragic incident.

However, a letter written by the Federal Ministry of Health Port
Health Services, which was signed by Doctors E.E. Ukatu and Abdullai,
made available to reporters by airport sources stated: "The Port
Health Services was called today (2/9/14) by a FAAN (Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria) medical nurse at about 4.07 pm from the D
arrival screening point to see a passenger (the deceased) said to have
arrived aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston, Texas.

"It was reported that after disembarking, the passenger was observed
to be clutching his chest and asking for help.

"In the course of examination, he was asked if he was Asthmatic, and
he said 'MAY BE'.

"On examination, he was found to be pale, in respiratory distress
(gasping for breath), his pulse was rapid and thready. Based on his
response to the question if he was asthmatic, a Ventolin inhaler was
administered, but was not effective, as the patient was restless and
threw off the inhaler to the floor. He was placed on the left lateral
position and at the same time, oxygen was called for.

"Efforts were made to administer oxygen, while a second doctor was
called and suction applied via a suction machine to clear the airway.

""Subsequently, the patient suffered a cardio-pulmonary arrest; the
radial and carotid pulses were no longer palpable and patient was
observed to be cyanosed. Attempts at resuscitation proved abortive.
Pupils were fixed and dilated and patient was certified dead at 4.26
pm".

In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman for the commission, Mr Rob
Fitzpatrick, said that the commission was saddened by the sudden death
of Mr Carter.

Peter joined HM Diplomatic Service in 1984 and was an experienced
career diplomat.

He had previously served as Consul General in Milan and then as the
British Ambassador to Estonia before becoming Deputy High Commissioner
in Lagos in 2013 where he made an exceptional contribution to the UK.