Chaos in the cockpit: Co-pilot suffers a seizure – emergency landing in Madrid!

Chaos in the cockpit: Co-pilot suffers a seizure – emergency landing in Madrid!

A dramatic incident occurred on February 17, 2024 during a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Seville. On the Airbus A321, the 43-year-old captain was forced to leave the cockpit to use the toilet. This occurred at 10:31:30 UTC, approximately 30 minutes before the scheduled landing. The 38-year-old co-pilot, who initially did not appear conspicuous and carried out his duties in a calm state, took command of the aircraft at short notice.

However, a few seconds after the captain's exit, the co-pilot suffered a sudden and severe seizure, incapacitating him while the aircraft remained in the air. The voice recorder on board recorded uncontrolled movements and suspicious noises from the co-pilot during this critical phase. Within 46 seconds, he unintentionally activated several controls and switches, which resulted in a warning message that alerted the crew.

The Captain's Return

Since the captain was unable to open the cockpit door after five attempts and received no answers to his calls over the intercom, he was forced to activate the emergency code to open the door. Finally, the co-pilot himself opened the door from the inside so that the captain was able to re-enter the cockpit at 10:42:04 a.m. and immediately took control of the aircraft.

The co-pilot appeared disoriented, sweating profusely and exhibiting abnormal movements, prompting the captain to call a flight attendant for assistance. A doctor who happened to be there administered first aid and suspected the co-pilot had a heart problem. The cabin crew took the co-pilot to the galley for first aid, but from there he did not return to the cockpit.

Emergency landing in Madrid

Given the serious situation, the captain initiated a diversion and landed the plane safely in Madrid. 20 minutes after the emergency, the crew successfully continued the landing with 200 passengers on board. In the hospital, the co-pilot was diagnosed with a previously undetected neurological disease that had led to an epilepsy-like seizure. This condition could only have been identified by the co-pilot's apparent history and precludes his fitness to fly.

The Spanish authority CIAIAC recommended in its report that another authorized person be allowed into the cockpit when one of the pilots leaves it. This measure could help to quickly detect incapacitation and make access to the security door easier. The EASA authority also advises that this incident be passed on to airlines in order to review risk analyzes and improve air traffic safety.

Overall, this incident raises important questions about safety and the handling of emergencies in the cockpit and demonstrates the importance of preventative measures to ensure flight safety.

As the investigation progresses, authorities are already preparing recommendations to minimize future risks, such as vietnam.vn reports and provides further insights into the situation today.at.