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Tragic UK Teen Dies After Turkish Weight Loss Surgery
12 Sep
Summary
- A 20-year-old UK woman died after gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey.
- She collapsed on her return flight and died five days later.
- Her father warns others about the risks of cut-price surgery abroad.
Morgan Ribeiro, a 20-year-old nursery worker from South London, died in January 2026 after traveling to Turkey for weight loss surgery. She underwent a gastric sleeve procedure in Istanbul, hoping for a life-changing outcome.
Just three days post-operation, Morgan experienced complications, including swelling and fever, and collapsed on her flight back to the UK. The plane made an emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia, where she remained hospitalized for five days before succumbing to her complications.
An inquest revealed Morgan's death resulted from peritonitis, triggered by a rupture in her intestinal wall during the surgery. Her father, Ricardo Ribeiro, expressed concerns that the surgeon initially chosen was replaced by another, potentially less experienced, medic.
Ricardo highlighted that Morgan was kept in the hospital an extra day due to her condition, yet discharge notes falsely claimed she was medically fit to fly. He believes the organizing firm, Global Medical Care, and the hospital, Medivita Incirli Hastanesi (now closed), share responsibility.
He is campaigning for a ban on social media advertisements promoting cosmetic surgery abroad, warning that companies prioritize profit over patient safety. The UK government advises thorough research into overseas medical procedures.
