Pilot Collapses Mid-Flight

​BOSTON — An international flight was plunged into a high-stakes mid-air emergency on Wednesday afternoon when the aircraft’s captain suffered a sudden medical crisis, forcing the co-pilot to take sole control of the plane and make an emergency landing.

​Air Canada Flight 7664, which departed from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey en route to Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia, was just an hour into its journey when panic struck the cockpit. At approximately 1:37 p.m., the captain became severely incapacitated, triggering immediate emergency protocols.

​”During the flight, the captain experienced a medical issue and was removed from the flight deck as per safety protocols,” Air Canada said in an official statement.

​With the captain incapacitated, the first officer immediately took command of the de Havilland Dash 8-400 twin-turboprop aircraft. Navigating the sudden crisis, the co-pilot diverted the plane toward Boston Logan International Airport, initiating a rapid descent.

​The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Massachusetts State Police confirmed they were notified of the emergency as the plane approached Boston.

​The aircraft, carrying 61 passengers, touched down safely at Logan Airport at approximately 2:00 p.m. Emergency vehicles and ambulances already lined the tarmac, swarming the runway the moment the plane ground to a halt. Paramedics rushed the cockpit with a stretcher, removing the stricken pilot within minutes of landing.

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​Boston EMS officials later confirmed that the pilot was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital. The current condition of the captain has not yet been released.

​The flight, which was operated by PAL Airlines on behalf of Air Canada, concluded with no injuries reported among the 61 customers or remaining crew members on board. The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident.