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Co-pilot's illness forces Air Canada jet to land


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Guest rattler

I hope he's okay.  sad.gif

As do we all.

A newspaper report on the incident, but remember it is a newspaper and they say AC is state owned so the "facts" as reported may not be accurate.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/cr...re-1276356.html

Crew dragged co-pilot off jet at Shannon after mid-air scare

Tuesday January 29 2008

MORE than a hundred passengers aboard an Air Canada flight from Toronto to London were forced to divert to Shannon yesterday after the co-pilot suffered what appeared to be a nervous breakdown in mid-air.

Officials at Shannon Airport last night confirmed that the male co-pilot was admitted to the psychiatric unit of the Ennis General Hospital in Co Clare yesterday after he was forcibly taken off the flight by fellow crew members and an off-duty member of the Canadian Armed Forces who assisted in restraining him.

Air Canada flight AC848, en route from Toronto's Pearson International Airport to London Heathrow, was diverted to Shannon with less than an hour to go before reaching its intended destination after the co-pilot began "acting in a peculiar manner and was talking loudly to himself," during the transatlantic crossing, according to aviation sources.

The Boeing 767-333 series jet, carrying 149 passengers, including three infants, landed safely at Shannon shortly before 8am yesterday where a medical doctor and ambulance crew were waiting to attend to the co-pilot.

Stunned passengers, some of whom are believed to have witnessed the bizarre scene, were taken to local hotels to await a replacement cabin crew in order to continue their journey on to London.

Air traffic controllers at Shannon were notified by the captain that his colleague was "unwell" and he required permission to divert the flight to seek medical attention.

Psychiatric

Officials from the Health Service Executive (HSE) said the co-pilot was assessed at the scene before being taken to the Acute Psychiatric Unit at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Ennis for further assessment.

He remained at the unit last night but the HSE refused to comment on his condition.

An airport spokesman confirmed that the "medical diversion" took place but there was no official emergency declared by the pilot.

"The plane diverted to Shannon after a cockpit crew member became unwell. The first officer was taken to hospital and the passengers were taken to local hotels," he said.

Air Canada ordered a replacement crew from London which arrived around noon yesterday and passengers continued on their journey to London, arriving close to eight hours behind schedule at 4:15pm yesterday.

Shirley Mah, spokeswoman for the state-owned airline, did not return phone calls on the incident yesterday.

However, the company said in a written statement last night: "The captain and crew of AC 848 followed standard operating procedures in light of the co-pilot falling ill. The captain elected to divert to Shannon and landed without incident. At no time was safety compromised."

The airline refused comment on the nature of his illness except to say: "The flight was met by medical personnel and the individual is now in hospital care. We do not provide additional details of a personal nature."

It is understood the incident will be investigated by Air Canada and the Transportation Safety Board in Canada which is responsible for regulating airlines and investigating aviation accidents in that country.

- Allison Bray and Pat Flynn

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Sorry to say I didn't read the article before posting. However, it was Toronto news only? (Hence the snide remark...)

I've heard of this kind of thing before. It was related to insulin shock. Hope that was not the case here, but sure sounds serious, especially when things like this happen at 30W.

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Wow...The Press is some screwed up.... From Flyers Talk..this entry...

My name is Allison Hanes and I am a reporter with the National Post newspaper in Toronto. I would like to speak with you about your harrowing experience aboard the Air Canada flight.

Please send me an email to let me know where I may reach you. I invite anyone else on the flight to contact me as well.

Best,

Allison

ahanes@nationalpost.com

This was entered after she read the eye-witness report which was basically low key points.

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"Harrowing experience" huh. I guess in TV court dramas that would be called "Leading the witness"

Sounds like she should be working for The National Enquirer, but I suppose she might catch some publicity hungry individual who sees a chance for their 15 minutes of fame.

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Hmmm. Remember when journalists used to report the news, instead of creating it?

Kip, I wonder if sending Ms. Hanes' little quip to the other national papers would be in order. Perhaps it's time for a human interest story on the abysmal downturn in journalistic standards.....

Just my opinion...

Vs

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Hmmm. Remember when journalists used to report the news, instead of creating it?

Kip, I wonder if sending Ms. Hanes' little quip to the other national papers would be in order. Perhaps it's time for a human interest story on the abysmal downturn in journalistic standards.....

Just my opinion...

Vs

I would sincerely hope that no one bothered to respond to the NP reporter on this issue.

Most people know someone in their lives with an issue like this and it's usually easily treatable. Give the fellow his privacy.

I wish him a prompt and full recovery.

TB

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I would sincerely hope that no one bothered to respond to the NP reporter on this issue.

Most people know someone in their lives with an issue like this and it's usually easily treatable. Give the fellow his privacy.

I wish him a prompt and full recovery.

TB

BANG ON!

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Guest rattler

That forum does contain a positive comment about the crew that probably the press will forget to quote:

I won't post more about this, but I would just like to point out that it wasn't harrowing to me or the people that I spoke with, in large part because the crew (and the volunteers for that matter) all handled it so well. They were calm and professional throughout. There were also almost no complaints from customers who just went with the flow (except the odd FT-type compensation discussion
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Kip, I wonder if sending Ms. Hanes' little quip to the other national papers would be in order. Perhaps it's time for a human interest story on the abysmal downturn in journalistic standards.....

Actually, I did send a "snotgram" to the Editor ,( Nat Post), about the juvenile journalistic efforts by Ms Hanes in her attempt to turn a simple diversion to another airport into a "harrowing experience" and her weak effort to sensationalize an unfortunate incident concerning the unforseen illness of a respected crew member.

But................I would imagine it will be in the DELETE file shortly after "touchdown".

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Dagger...you are such a jerk.

The press release opening line states crew. It does not state the difference between flight crew or inflight crew.

Why dont you go and worry about more important things that are being done by people in your "financial community" like that twit in France who somehow frauded a few billion.

Geez...

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I do wish they would acknowledge the work of the cabin crew

Probably a little early for that as not enough details are known. I think the release by ACPA was meant to "calm" the fears of the flying public in that many are not aware that todays aircraft are capable of being flown, in an emergency, by one pilot.

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"Our member was taken to hospital....

I always chuckle when I hear this use of the word member.

Years ago a City Cop was having an arguement with an RCMP Cop and when the RCMP used the word 'member' the city cop grabbed his own crotch and said "This is my 'member' we call our workmates constables".

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Guest rattler

Dagger, I have to go along with the rest:

crew 1 (kr)

n.

1.

a. A group of people working together; a gang: a crew of stagehands.

b. A group of people gathered together temporarily; a crowd.

2.

a. All personnel operating or serving aboard a ship.

b. All of a ship's personnel except the officers.

c. All personnel operating or serving aboard an aircraft in flight.

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Hi Dagger,

I agree with dozerboy above - the press release from ACPA mentions the CREW - what does that mean? If you want to nitpick how come CUPE did not issue a press release commending the CREW??

You're pretty fast to lash out at ACPA IMHO...

Chico

Is that what that was about?! Man, I wondered!... I read the press release again, and then Dagger's post, and the press release.... ...

I don't know that "Jerk" is appropriate though... I'd guess he wouldn't be alone in that sort of fixity-type mindset that read "crew" from the pilots union and substituted "flightcrew" in their minds somehow...

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Just my opinion...I think some of you are little overly sensitive about Dagger's post. He is not associated with the airline industry in the same manner we all are and I can see where he may feel the "cabin-crew" were ignored in the ACPA release.

I don't think he should be chastised to the point of name calling because he is not aware of the concept of "crew". On the other hand I still feel that the statement by ACPA was to alay the fears of passengers that may think they are going into a death spiral should one pilot fall ill.

I don't think ACPA made any overt effort to praise the cabin crew and I don't think it was an intentional omission but had they more time time to fashion the Press release they might have said "Our pilots and cabin crew are trained ..yad-yada-yada..

Lord knows Dagger certainly doesn't need me to defend his post but in my opinion there is a bit of over reaction by some and I just wanted my 2 cents out there. blink.gif

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