As the Modi government gears up for a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, it has selected seven teams, including leaders from various parties and an all-party delegation, to expose Pakistan’s support for terrorism and its role in inciting violence. These teams will articulate India’s stance on terrorism at the United Nations Security Council and other global platforms.
Imagine the horror of a pilot suddenly losing consciousness mid-flight. That’s exactly what happened last year on a Lufthansa flight. On February 17, a Lufthansa Airbus A321 traveling from Frankfurt to Seville, Spain, faced a crisis when the co-pilot abruptly lost consciousness, leaving the plane circling in the air without a pilot for 10 minutes. The Spanish accident investigation agency CIAIAC revealed this in a report.
The plane, carrying 199 passengers and six crew members, flew without a pilot for 10 minutes. Lufthansa confirmed the incident, stating that its flight safety department investigated but did not disclose the findings. While the co-pilot inadvertently operated the flight controls during the episode, the autopilot system fortunately kept the plane stable. The cockpit voice recorder captured unusual sounds related to a severe medical emergency.
The captain, who had stepped out to use the restroom, tried the standard door-opening code five times without success. A flight attendant also attempted to contact the co-pilot via the onboard telephone. Eventually, the captain used an emergency code to open the door, but just before it automatically unlocked, the ailing co-pilot managed to open it from inside despite his condition.
The captain quickly took control and made an emergency landing in Madrid. The co-pilot was immediately rushed to a hospital. Authorities stated that the timely response of the autopilot system averted a major disaster. A full-scale investigation into the incident is ongoing.
About the Author
