A major security alert was triggered at a Spanish airport after an elderly man attempted to board a plane with his dead wife in a wheelchair.
Airport Security Uncovers Disturbing Scene
The incident unfolded on January 13, 2026 at Tenerife South airport. The man, reported to be in his 80s, was moving his wife's body through the terminal "as if she were just another passenger". He successfully passed initial checks but was stopped at the metal detector when staff noticed the woman was unresponsive.
An airport employee told the Spanish newspaper Diario de Avisos that a security guard approached the couple. "When she took the woman's hand, she noticed she had an abnormally low temperature and wasn't breathing," the source explained. The emergency protocol was immediately activated, bringing numerous security agents, Civil Guard officers, and forensic personnel to the scene.
Conflicting Accounts and Open Investigation
The husband reportedly informed police that his wife had died just hours before their planned journey. According to reports, the elderly man tried to blame his wife's death on the airport facilities. The investigation remains open as authorities work to determine if there is any criminal liability surrounding her death.
This shocking event followed recent claims about a separate but similarly tragic incident. Passengers had reported that an 89-year-old British grandmother was 'already' dead before boarding an easyJet flight to London Gatwick. She was seen hunched over in the waiting area, sparking concern.
Witness Account Disputes Earlier Death Claims
However, a passenger on that flight, Tony Coatesworth, 71, provided a different account to Metro. Seated nearby, he stated he saw the elderly woman breathing as they prepared for takeoff. "The misinformation that she was brought onto the plane dead is completely untrue as I saw her breathing," said the self-employed truck driver. He described a companion alerting a stewardess when the woman became unresponsive, prompting the captain to return to the parking stand.
Coatesworth added that friends of the woman's family confirmed she was flying to be closer to a care home near her family in England. Another passenger, Petra Boddington, told The Sun that others onboard remarked, "oh my god, she looks dead." EasyJet has stated the claims she was dead before boarding are unfounded, confirming the passenger had a valid fit-to-fly certificate.
