Pilot Suffers Mid-Flight Medical Emergency, Passengers Step In as Air Canada Flight Diverts to Boston.

A routine regional flight turned into a terrifying ordeal after the captain of an Air Canada-operated flight suffered an apparent medical emergency while the aircraft was cruising toward Halifax.

Air Canada Flight AC7664, operated by PAL Airlines, was flying from Newark, New Jersey, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday with 61 passengers on board when the captain suddenly became incapacitated.

According to passenger Rodney McDonald, the aircraft unexpectedly swerved several times in flight.

“The moment the plane swerved, I knew something was wrong because it was not turbulence,” he recalled. “It really felt like someone had jerked the controls.”

Moments later, a flight attendant rushed into the cockpit before emerging with the captain, who appeared to be suffering a seizure. McDonald and several other passengers helped restrain the pilot while a registered nurse onboard assisted and the cabin crew calmly managed the situation.

The aircraft’s first officer immediately assumed full control of the De Havilland Dash 8 Q400 and safely diverted the flight to Boston Logan International Airport. Emergency responders were waiting on the ground, and the captain was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Passengers described the next 40 minutes as incredibly stressful as they worked together to ensure the captain remained safe while the aircraft continued toward Boston.

McDonald praised the professionalism of everyone involved, especially the flight attendants and first officer.

“The flight attendants were stupendous. They stayed calm. We’re just grateful for how it all ended.”

Air Canada later confirmed that the diversion followed established safety procedures, emphasizing that airline pilots are trained to safely operate and land the aircraft even if one pilot becomes incapacitated. The airline also arranged onward transportation for passengers to Halifax.