Nigerian man’s autopsy provides no clues

An autopsy on a Nigerian man who died shortly before a special repatriation flight last week at Zurich Airport has so far revealed no clues as to the cause of death.

The 29-year-old had been on a hunger strike for several days and immediate attempts to resuscitate him after shackles were released were in vain.

The local public prosecutor’s office said on Monday that it now had to wait for the results of laboratory tests to continue its investigation into the circumstances of the death.

The flight to Lagos, which was due to carry the Nigerian, a convicted drug dealer, and 15 other rejected asylum seekers, was cancelled. The Federal Migration Office has since suspended all such flights.

Also on Monday, the Swiss authorities said that up to ten inmates in a detention centre at the airport had gone on hunger strike, but added that their motive for doing so was not clear.

A spokeswoman told the Swiss News Agency that those involved were sending their meals back untouched, but that it was not a full-scale strike.
The detention centre at the airport has room for 106 inmates.

NEWS

swissinfo.ch and agencies