Brilliant Ghanaian lady dies at Chinese airport after arriving for MSc scholarship

A promising academic trajectory ended in tragedy after Mercy Yaaba Bredu, a 24-year-old first-class graduate from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), passed away in China just two days after departing Ghana to begin her Master’s degree.

The former Vice-President of the Association of Students of English (ASSENS) at UEW collapsed at an airport terminal in China shortly after landing and died on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at a nearby hospital.

Departure from Accra and flight discomfort

Mercy departed Kotoka International Airport in Accra on Monday, August 24, 2026, around 1:30 PM. Viral footage recorded prior to her boarding shows her in high spirits, posing with family members, sharing farewell hugs, and kissing her sister goodbye. 

Family members confirmed she had completed all pre-travel medical checks and showed no symptoms of illness before departure.

Reports indicate that during the long-haul flight to East Asia, Mercy began experiencing chest and heart discomfort.

Incident at the terminal and medical care

Upon arrival at the Chinese airport terminal on Tuesday, August 25, Mercy was being presented with a welcome bouquet of flowers when she suddenly collapsed to the floor. 

Video clips circulating online show airport personnel, host representatives, and bystanders gathering around her to provide emergency aid before paramedics arrived.

Emergency medical service responders transported her to a nearby hospital. Despite clinical efforts to stabilise her, she was pronounced dead on Wednesday, August 26.

Academic record and family appeal

Mercy achieved first-class honours during her undergraduate studies at UEW and completed her mandatory national service before winning competitive scholarships for postgraduate study in both the United States and China.

She chose the program in China to advance her education and explore commercial opportunities in international trade.

Following confirmation of her death, her family made a public call to government institutions and diplomatic representatives to assist in repatriating her body from China to Ghana. 

Her elder sister, Maame Yaaba, stated that the family is seeking official diplomatic support to navigate the logistics and costs associated with bringing her remains home for burial.

Watch Mercy Yaaba Bredu’s last moments on our Telegram.

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