On January 5, 2024, 20-year-old Morgan Ribeiro from Croydon, south London, traveled to Istanbul for a £2,500 gastric sleeve operation. Three days after surgery, she was cleared to fly but became ill during her return flight, forcing an emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia, where she died from an abdominal infection. The inquest revealed the infection likely resulted from a punctured intestine during the procedure, but the surgeon, Dr. Serkan Bayil, has not responded to requests for information, as reported by the inquest.

The £2,500 operation that cost a 20-year-old her life

Morgan Ribeiro paid £2,500 for a gastric sleeve operation in Istanbul—a fraction of the cost in the UK, where private surgery typically runs several thousand pounds more. According to the inquest, the procedure was performed on January 5, 2024, and Ribeiro was given medical clearance to fly back to the UK three days later. However, during the return flight to London Gatwick with her partner, Jamie Brewster, she became "very unwell." The source reports that an emergency landing was made in Belgrade, Serbia, where she was admitted to an intensive care unit and died on January 13. The cause of death was listed as "diffuse inflammation of the retroperitoneum" due to a rupture of the intestinal wall, suspected to have been caused by a punctured small intestine during the surgery.

Why the surgeon Dr. Serkan Bayil has not responded

Assistant Coroner Laura Stephenson told the inquest that she was unable to record a conclusion because Dr.. Serkan Bayil,the surgeon who carried out the procedure, has not responded to repeated requests for information. This silence leaves critical questions unanswered: Was the intestine punctured during the surgery? What were the specific surgical techniques used? Did Ribeiro receive adequate post-operative care before being cleared to fly? Without the surgeon's cooperation, as the source notes , the inquest remains incomplete, and Ribeiro’s family may never get a clear explanation of what went wrong.

An emergency landing in Belgrade: the final hours

Ribeiro’s condition deteriorated mid-flight, forcing the aircraft to divert to Belgrade. The inquest heard that she became very unwell during the journey, but the exact timing of the infection’s onset is unclear. medics in Belgrade placed her in an intensive care unit, but the infection had spread, leading to multiple organ failure. The emergency landing underscores the risks of flying shortly after major abdominal surgery, especially when post-operative monitoring is limited.. The source reports that the operating doctor had cleared her to fly, but no details were provided about the criteria used or whether any warning signs were present before departure.

The inquest's incomplete conclusion and what remains unknown

Assistant Coroner Stephenson has not issued a final conclusion due to the missing response from Dr. Bayil . This leaves several open questions: Are there any other patients who suffered complications from the same surgeon? What standards do Turkish clinics follow for post-operative clearance? And how can UK authorities hold foreign medical providers accountable when their patients die after returning home? According to the inquest,Ribeiro's death highlights a regulatory gap that makes it difficult to pursue justice or improve safety oversight for medical tourists.