Read, Watch or Listen

A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Seville experienced a 10-minute period without a pilot after the copilot fainted while the captain was in the lavatory. The autopilot maintained stable flight, but the copilot unintentionally operated controls. Air traffic control and the captain's attempts to contact the copilot failed until the captain used an emergency code to regain access to the cockpit. The flight diverted to Madrid, and the copilot, whose medical certificate was later suspended, received treatment for a previously undiagnosed neurological condition. The incident, deemed an 'extraordinary circumstance,' highlights the importance of pilot incapacitation training.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.