A 69-year-old Zambian man from Riverside area in Kitwe has tragically passed away on an Ethiopian Airlines flight while traveling from Chicago, USA, to Ndola.
The deceased, identified as Joseph Phiri, had traveled to the United States for further medical treatment arranged by his son, who resides in Chicago.
According to Ruth Phiri, the wife of the deceased, Mr. Phiri had been unwell for some time, and his condition deteriorated on July 18th, 2023, during their journey from Chicago, via Addis Ababa, to Ndola.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Rose Sakala, confirmed Mr. Phiri’s death and stated that his body has been taken to St. Paul’s Millennium Hospital. She further indicated that a postmortem examination is scheduled to take place on July 19th, while preparations are underway to transport the body to Ndola.
Ambassador Sakala assured that the Zambian Mission and the family are working together to ensure that all necessary procedures are carried out promptly and efficiently in Ethiopia.
Inutu Mwanza, the First Secretary for Press and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, issued a statement to ZNBC News regarding the tragic incident.