Flight makes emergency landing after pilot faints

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Manchester, emergency landing, pilot

Manchester - Another pilot, who was on holiday on the plane, entered the cabin and made an emergency landing.

By Web Report

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Published: Tue 27 Aug 2019, 11:12 AM

Last updated: Tue 27 Aug 2019, 1:22 PM

An off-duty pilot, aboard a Jet2 flight from Manchester to Madeira, swung into action and safely landed the plane after the pilot fainted mid-air.
The off-duty pilot, who was on a holiday, entered the cabin when the pilot of the Boeing 757 fell ill and made an emergency landing at Porto. "They made the announcement that there had been an incident on the flight deck and another Jet2 pilot who happened to be on holiday came forward from the back of the plane," Nicholas Banks, a bank worker who was on the plane told Daily Mail.
Runway at Porto was closed for half an hour for the emergency landing where the 40-year-old pilot is understood to have been taken to hospital on arrival. The passenger Banks added, "He (the off-duty pilot) offered up his services to the crew and went into the cabin. He didn't come out until he helped the first officer land the plane."
While a Jet2 spokeswoman told Daily Mail that after the pilot fell ill, the First Officer seated next to him landed the plane 'as it should have been'. Another passenger, Tracey Jayne who was holidaying with her family said, "All crew stopped serving and there was a bit of moment when passengers realised something was amiss. I saw a member of the crew speak directly to a passenger and he vacated his seat and went to the cockpit."
Following the incident the airline's spokesman said, "The Flight LS765 from Manchester to Funchal diverted to Porto as a precautionary measure this morning, due to one of the pilots feeling unwell. A standby aircraft and replacement crew will be flown to Porto so that we can get customers on their way to Funchal as soon as possible."


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