A 27 year old man died at Manchester Airport after being detained by Border Force officials for “behaving unusually”.
The man was stopped by officers as he passed through security in Terminal 2 before a flight. It is believed he was detained over alleged drug offences but then “became unwell” and died shortly afterwards.
Emergency services, including paramedics and police, were called to the scene, and he was pronounced dead at 1.53pm today, the MEN reports.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is now investigating the incident, according to Manchester Evening News. An IOPC spokesperson confirmed: “We can confirm that we are independently investigating the circumstances of a 27-year-old man’s death following his arrest by Border Force officers at Manchester Airport on Wednesday 19 February.
“Our investigation follows a referral from the Home Office which detailed how the man was due to travel from the airport on Wednesday and was stopped after displaying unusual behaviour. He was subsequently arrested by officers and taken to a holding area where he became unwell and paramedics were called. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at 1.53pm.”, reports the Mirror.
“After being notified of the man’s death, we declared an independent investigation into the circumstances at 4.29pm on Wednesday. IOPC investigators were sent to the scene to begin gathering evidence.”
IOPC Director Amanda Rowe stated: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones, as well as all those affected by his death. When someone dies after being taken into custody, it is important for there to be a thorough investigation to understand what has happened.
“We have been in touch with the man’s family to explain our role and will keep them updated as the investigation progresses. Our investigation is in its very early stages and no further information is available at this time.”
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