"Unprecedented Incident: Lufthansa Flight Flies Without Pilot for 10 Minutes"

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"Unprecedented Incident: Lufthansa Flight Flies Without Pilot for 10 Minutes"

[!CDATA[A recent incident involving a Lufthansa flight revealed that a co-pilot became incapacitated while the captain was outside the cockpit, leaving the plane to fly for about 10 minutes without a pilot. The flight, which took place in February 2024, was en route from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, with 199 passengers and six crew members on board. The co-pilot, aged 38, experienced a sudden and severe incapacitation while the captain briefly left the flight deck. During the captain's absence, the plane continued to fly with the autopilot engaged but without direct supervision from either pilot. When the captain attempted to re-enter the cockpit after finishing in the bathroom, he encountered difficulty as the door can only be opened from the inside. Despite entering the code multiple times, the captain was unable to gain access until the co-pilot eventually opened the door. Upon re-entering the cockpit, the captain observed that the co-pilot was unwell and provided first aid with the assistance of a crew member and a doctor who happened to be a passenger on the flight. The doctor suspected a possible heart condition in the co-pilot, leading to further investigation into the incident. It was determined that the co-pilot's incapacitation was due to an undetected neurological condition. While the co-pilot was incapacitated, the plane experienced minor deviations caused by inadvertent actions in the cockpit. The captain successfully diverted the flight to the nearest airport, Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas Airport, where it landed safely. Following the incident, the co-pilot's medical certificate was suspended, as the condition was deemed disqualifying for maintaining medical fitness to fly. The investigation highlighted the importance of thorough medical screenings for pilots to detect underlying conditions that may pose risks during flight operations. Lufthansa did not provide immediate comments on the incident.]]