British ambassador ‘dies after crying for help’
Ambassador Peter Leslie Carter, the British deputy high commissioner to Nigeria, died on Tuesday evening after slumping on his arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to a report in THISDAY, the preliminary medical report indicates that he might have had a heart attack.
His death has not been officially confirmed by the British high commission.
Leslie had arrived Lagos by a United Airlines Flight at 3.50pm but could not make it beyond the air bridge before slumping, crying for help.
Efforts to resuscitate him with oxygen reportedly failed.
THISDAY quoted from a report said to have been written by the port health services and signed by two doctors, E.E. Ukatu and Abdullai.
It read: “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 on board 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.”
Carter, 58, was posted to Nigeria in 2012, after serving in Estonia from 2007–2012.
He schooled at The Skinners’ School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and New College, Oxford, where he studied Modern Languages.
He joined the diplomatic service in 1984 after working with Arthur Andersen and also teaching languages in Italy.
Carter receiving a gift from Edo Governor Adams Oshiomhole
Donald Duke, Babatunde Fashola and Carter at a summit on power infrastructure in Lagos
Carter beating the talking drum on a visit to Governor Abiola Ajimobi
May his gentle soul rest in peace, effort should also be made by the authority concerned to invstigate the circumstances where by he was attended to. Was there any quick respons by those those incharge of emergency at the airport, How long did it take the doctor to arrive at the scene, what is the state of medical emergency facilities at the aiport. These are some of the issues that should be addressed.
Wow! He was a pleasant man. I remember when he invited members of the Oxbridge Society of Nigeria…we shared ideas, he answered questions and we had a good time. We invited him to our ball and he graced us with his presence. May his soul rest in peace. He loved Nigeria.