A Delta Air Lines flight traveling from Los Angeles to Boston was forced to make an emergency landing in Detroit after the captain became ill during the flight.
The flight, carrying 147 people, was diverted to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, where it landed safely Tuesday evening. During communications with air traffic control, the captain personally reported the emergency.
“This is the captain, I’m the one that’s ill,” he told the controller. He then said he would taxi the aircraft to the gate before going to the hospital.
Firefighters and emergency personnel responded after the aircraft landed, and the ill crew member was taken to a hospital. Officials have not disclosed the nature of the medical emergency or the captain’s condition.
A new crew was assigned to the aircraft, allowing the flight to continue its journey to Boston. The aircraft departed Detroit at 7:17 p.m. and arrived at Boston Logan International Airport at 9:04 p.m.
The incident highlights how quickly flight crews must respond when a pilot becomes medically incapacitated — and how having another qualified pilot on the flight deck allows the aircraft to be safely diverted and landed.
The FAA and Delta confirmed the medical emergency but did not identify the crew member involved.
Delta apologized to passengers for the disruption.
