A Lufthansa Airbus A321 experienced a harrowing incident on February 17 of last year, only recently brought to public attention. The aircraft, en route from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, faced a critical situation when the copilot lost consciousness mid-flight.

Sequence of Events

• The captain left the cockpit to use the restroom while the plane cruised at 35,000 feet (10,700 meters).
• Shortly after, the copilot reportedly fainted, potentially due to a medical episode.
• Despite the autopilot being engaged, the aircraft began to deviate from its intended course.
• The captain was unable to re-enter the cockpit promptly because the incapacitated copilot could not confirm access.
• after a period of time, the copilot regained consciousness and opened the cockpit door, allowing the captain to resume control.
• The flight was diverted and safely landed in Madrid.

Medical Emergency

Following the emergency landing, the copilot underwent a thorough medical examination. Doctors persistent that the loss of consciousness stemmed from a previously undiagnosed neurological condition.

The Report

According to Bild, the incident resulted in the plane being out of control for 10 minutes. The report highlights the critical role of the autopilot system during the emergency, while also underscoring the necessity of human intervention to correct the deviation from the flight path.

Past Incidents

This incident follows a recent bomb threat at Charleroi Airport in Belgium, where a Ryanair plane was suspected of carrying an explosive device. Details of that incident were reported earlier.