An Air Canada regional flight from Newark to Halifax made an emergency diversion to Boston on Wednesday after the captain experienced a medical emergency midflight. The ordeal lasted roughly 40 minutes and required passengers to physically restrain the stricken pilot in the aisle, according to a traveler aboard the aircraft.
Flight AC7664, operated by regional carrier PAL Airlines on behalf of Air Canada, was carrying 61 passengers aboard a De Havilland Q400 turboprop when the captain became incapacitated and was removed from the cockpit, according to Air Canada. The first officer assumed control of the plane and diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where the plane landed safely. The captain was transported to a hospital for medical treatment, the airline said in a statement shared with numerous outlets.
A representative for the airline did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NTD News.
The moment things went wrong was unmistakable, said passenger Rodney McDonald, who was traveling with his wife and two sons. According to McDonald, the plane suddenly lurched in a way that felt nothing like turbulence.
Moments later, according to McDonald, a flight attendant rushed into the cockpit and emerged dragging one of the pilots into the cabin aisle.
The pilot appeared to be experiencing a seizure, McDonald said, and he joined about four other passengers in working to keep the man restrained while the co-pilot flew the plane.
"It was really horrifying," McDonald said. He added that the group used seatbelts to secure the pilot's arms, legs, and chest during what he described as "a fairly strenuous 40 minutes of keeping him down." A registered nurse on board helped direct passengers and assist the pilot throughout the emergency, he said.
"During the flight, the captain experienced a medical issue and was removed from the flight deck as per safety protocols," the airline said in its statement. "The first officer took control of the aircraft and diverted the flight to Boston, where it landed safely. Pilots are trained to fly aircraft and land safely without the assistance of a second pilot."
The airline said it was working to arrange alternate travel for the 61 passengers aboard the diverted flight.
In May, Swiss International Air Lines Flight LX124 from Seoul to Zürich turned south over Kazakhstan and diverted to Almaty after the co-pilot suffered a medical emergency roughly six hours into the journey, with the Airbus A350 making an unscheduled landing so the pilot could receive medical care, the airline said at the time.