Tributes paid to British woman, 20, who died in Serbia hospital after £2,500 weight loss surgery in Turkish clinic

22 January 2024, 14:13

Tributes have been paid to a 20-year-old woman who died after paying £2,500 for weight loss surgery in Turkey.

Morgan Ribeiro flew out to the country with her boyfriend earlier this month because she did ‘not want to spend years on an NHS waiting list.’

Her mother has spoken out after her death, telling The Independent she “never wants this to happen to another daughter.”

Morgan fell seriously ill on her flight home to Gatwick, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Serbia.

She was rushed to hospital with septic shock.

Doctors told her boyfriend they discovered her small intestine had been cut during the gastric sleeve procedure, leading to an infection.

Read more: British mum-of-three, 26, dies days after having Brazilian bum-lift operation in Turkey

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Surgeons removed 10cm of her small intestine and were hopeful she would pul through. But she suffered a heart attack on January 9 and died four days later.

Her sister Kayleigh, 26, begged her not to go through with the surgery.

Her mother Erin is now trying to raise £20,000 to repatriate her body.

She said: “Growing up she was bullied a lot, she’s always battled with her weight and been a bigger girl and she had a really rough time with it.

“By the time I found out it was too late, she was already on the plane. I had that sinking feeling because I’d heard horror stories about Turkey.

“I never want this to happen to another daughter. I don’t want her life to be in vain.”

Her boyfriend James Brewster, 19, said that prior to the flight home Morgan was “really hot and in a lot of pain.”

“She was finding it hard to breathe so they took her to the front of the plane where there was more space and tried to give her an oxygen mask.

“I could tell something was seriously wrong.”

He wrote in a tribute online: “She had been struggling with her weight all her life. She wanted to fit in. But in actual fact she was the most beautiful woman and she was my other half.

“Me, my family and her family are truly devastated. We must stay strong for her and give her the best possible send off that we can.

“Any donations will go straight to giving her that perfect send off. We will miss you Morgan you was the most beautiful person in the world and you was taken way too soon. Rest in peace my beautiful angel.”

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: “We can confirm that during a flight from Istanbul to London Gatwick we made a diversion to Belgrade due to a passenger requiring medical assistance. 

“The health and safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority, and in this instance the passenger was disembarked from the aircraft to seek urgent medical attention.

“We’re incredibly saddened to hear of the passenger passing away following their medical treatment and our thoughts remain with their family at this time.”

Earlier this month a British mum-of-three died just days after undergoing a Brazilian bum-lift operation in Turkey.

Demi Agoglia, 26, from Salford, Greater Manchester is believed to have suffered multiple heart attacks caused by a fat embolism after she underwent a Brazilian bum-lift (BBL) last Thursday.

Doctors had told Ms Agoglia the surgery had been successful but the mum began experiencing chest pains just hours before she was due to fly home to the UK, according to The Sun.

A source told the outlet: “The doctors had told her the operation was a success and she was recovering for a few days as you're not allowed to fly home straight away.

"She had been due to fly home to her children on Monday. At 4.30am on Monday she woke up in a lot of pain so her partner rang a taxi.”

She was in the taxi with her partner on the way back to the clinic when she suffered a heart attack.