Plane with 205 people on board flies in air without pilot; finally makes an emergency landing

BERLIN: A Lufthansa flight carrying 205 passengers flew without a pilot for 10 minutes after the co-pilot fainted while he was alone in the cockpit. The details of the incident that happened on February 17 in 2024 have now been released. The information was released as part of an investigation by the Spanish Aviation Authority.

The Lufthansa A321 was flying from Frankfurt in Germany, to Seville in Spain. There were 199 passengers and six crew members on board at the time of the incident. The rare incident occurred when the co-pilot fained while the pilot was in the washroom. The plane flew for ten minutes without the pilot's control. The plane switched to autopilot mode, which averted a major disaster. Planes usually switch to autopilot mode during takeoff.

The pilot, who returned from the bathroom, was unable to enter the cockpit. The crew members then tried to contact the co-pilot, but that too was unsuccessful. Finally, the pilot entered the cockpit by giving a code to open the cockpit door in an emergency. The plane then made an emergency landing in Madrid, where the co-pilot was taken to the hospital. The plane then continued its journey.