A serious incident occurred on a Lufthansa flight in February when the co-pilot of the Airbus A321 aircraft lost consciousness while alone in the cockpit, causing the flight to remain without an active pilot for about 10 minutes.
According to the final report by Spanish authorities published on Thursday, the Airbus A321 was operating on the Frankfurt-Seville route with over 200 passengers on board.
The incident occurred when the plane had entered Spanish airspace and was approximately 30 minutes away from its destination. The captain temporarily exited the cockpit for personal reasons, after determining that his co-pilot was in good condition.
When he returned eight minutes later, he found the cockpit door locked and the co-pilot unconscious. He tried to enter the password five times, while a flight attendant tried to communicate via the intercom, but to no avail.
Finally, the emergency access mechanism was activated and, just before the corresponding timer expired, the co-pilot partially regained consciousness and opened the door.
According to the report, the 38-year-old co-pilot was " pale, sweaty and had unusual movements ."
The chief pilot immediately called for help, while the cabin crew and a doctor on board the aircraft provided first aid and the captain decided to divert the flight to Madrid.
After landing, the co-pilot was taken to the hospital. The cause of the pilot's " sudden and severe incapacity " was an epileptic seizure, due to a neurological disorder, as reported by experts.
The Spanish Civil Aviation Authority emphasizes in its report that the condition in question is extremely difficult to diagnose, unless the pilot had shown symptoms in a previous medical check-up.
As a key preventive measure, the researchers suggest that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) inform airlines to consider the risks that arise when only one pilot remains in the cockpit. (A2 Televizion)
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