A Lufthansa flight to Spain final 12 months went with out a pilot for 10 minutes after the co-pilot fainted whereas he was alone within the cockpit, German information company DPA reported on Saturday (May 17).
During the flight from Frankfurt to Seville, Spain, on February 17, 2024, the co-pilot of an Airbus A321 fainted whereas the captain was within the restroom, DPA reported, referring to a report by the Spanish accident investigation authority CIAIAC.
The plane, which was carrying 199 passengers and 6 crew members, flew for round 10 minutes with out a pilot in control of the plane, based on the report.
Lufthansa informed DPA that it was conscious of the investigation report and that its personal flight security division had additionally carried out an investigation. The firm didn’t disclose its outcomes, DPA mentioned.
Although the unconscious co-pilot apparently operated controls unintentionally, the plane was in a position to proceed flying in a secure method because of the energetic autopilot. During this time interval, the voice recorder recorded unusual noises within the cockpit that have been in line with an acute well being emergency, DPA reported.
The captain initially tried coming into the common door opening code, which triggers a buzzer within the cockpit in order that the co-pilot can open the door. He did so 5 occasions with out with the ability to enter the cockpit. A stewardess tried to contact the co-pilot utilizing the onboard phone.
Finally, the captain typed in an emergency code that may have allowed him to open the door on his personal. However, shortly earlier than the door would have opened mechanically, the co-pilot opened it from the within regardless of being sick, DPA reported.
The pilot then determined to make an unplanned touchdown in Madrid, the place his colleague was taken to a hospital.
Published – May 18, 2025 03:02 pm IST
