Trainee easyJet pilot, 21, dies after mosquito bite causes infection

An inquest heard the tragic case of a young woman who died after she was bitten by a mosquito.

The trainee easyJet pilot died following the mosquito bite, which developed into an infection before spreading to her brain.

Oriana Pepper, 21, had a ‘wonderful career and life ahead of her’, and had only just passed theory exams on the airline’s training programme.

She was training in Belgium when the mosquito bit her on the forehead, with the inquest hearing that it subsequently appeared to get swollen and infected.

Anna Zvereva / Wikimedia Commons

After attending A&E on July 7th 2021 Oriana was prescribed antibiotics, Sky News reports.

Two days later she collapsed, however, and was driven back to hospital by her boyfriend James Hall – sadly she died three days later.

A senior coroner said Ms Pepper died: “as a result of a serious infection caused by an insect bite to the forehead”.

He told her parents: “I’ve never seen a case like this before.

“It’s just one of those things that’s just such an unfortunate tragedy for a young lady who clearly had a wonderful career and life ahead of her.”

The official medical cause of death was recorded as septic emboli in the brain, an obstruction of blood vessels. An infection from bacteria called staphylococcus aureus and an insect bite on the forehead also contributed.

Mr Pepper read a statement during the inquest, saying his daughter ‘loved nothing better than to go flying with her dad and her brother Oliver, also a trainee commercial pilot’.

He said his daughter said flying was like ‘having an office in the sky amongst the clouds’, before adding: “She had met someone she loved, she was training to be a commercial pilot and was fulfilling her dreams.”

A JustGiving page was set up in her memory, with the aim of helping young women to become commercial pilots.