Spanish man arrested after trying to wheel body of his deceased wife onto flight

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 - Airport security in Tenerife, Spain, intervened after an elderly man attempted to wheel the body of his deceased wife onto a flight, triggering a security alert at Tenerife South Airport in Spain. The man, reported to be in his 80s, had passed through initial checks before staff noticed the woman was unresponsive as they approached the metal detector.

An airport worker told local outlet Diario de Avisos that a security guard approached the woman and the man handed over his wheelchair. “When she took the woman’s hand, she noticed she had an abnormally low temperature and wasn’t breathing,” the employee said. “Within minutes, the emergency protocol was activated, and numerous security agents, Civil Guard officers, and forensic personnel arrived at the scene.”

The man reportedly claimed his wife had died only hours earlier. Staff alleged he attempted to blame airport facilities for her condition. Spanish authorities have opened an investigation to determine whether there is any criminal liability in her death.

The incident drew comparisons to a recent case involving an elderly British woman who died during an easyJet flight to London Gatwick. Passengers had speculated that the 89-year-old was already dead before boarding, but fellow flyer Tony Coatesworth disputed that account. “Earlier, I had seen her breathing,” he said, adding that the young woman accompanying her had alerted cabin crew shortly before takeoff. “The misinformation that she was brought onto the plane dead is completely untrue.”

EasyJet said the passenger had a fit-to-fly certificate and denied claims she had boarded deceased. The woman was reportedly travelling back to the UK to enter a care home closer to family.