"Bill Bonde ( 'Hi ho' )" <tributyltinpaint@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:47A0FE48.241C9FD0@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
|
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23434850-details/Flight+to+London+makes+emergency+landing+after+co-pilot+suffers+mental+breakdown/article.do
| #begin quote
| The co-pilot of a Heathrow-bound plane was dragged kicking and screaming
| from the cockpit after suffering a mental breakdown while in control of
| the flight.
|
| He began yelling and "invoking God" as the Air Canada 767 flew at 37,000
| feet over the Atlantic. He was held down by other crew members and a
| passenger, a member of the Canadian armed forces.
|
| The co-pilot then had restraints fastened to his wrists and ankles and
| was handcuffed to a seat. The flight from Toronto made an emergency
| landing in Shannon and the co-pilot, who had been crying and screaming
| according to witnesses, was taken off the plane.
|
| He was taken by ambulance to a psychiatric ward where he is being
| treated for a suspected nervous breakdown.
|
| The 146 passengers on the overnight flight continued their journey and
| got to Heathrow eight hours behind schedule after the drama on Monday.
| Passenger Sean Finucane told of his shock as he witnessed the co-pilot
| being carried out of the cockpit in restraints.
|
| He said today: "He was very, very distraught. He was yelling loudly at
| times. When they tried to put his shoes on later he swore and he
| threatened people. His voice was clear so he didn't sound drunk or
| anything. He was swearing and was very distressed."
|
| Mr Finucane, from Lanca****re, told how the pilot kept shouting: "I need
| to talk to you God."
|
| He described how passengers watched a crew member and the soldier carry
| the co-pilot out of the cockpit, through first class and into economy.
| The co-pilot then intermittently yelled obscenities and sobbed.
|
| Another passenger, writing on the flyertalk website, wrote: "It was
| quite an experience! He [the co-pilot] was being restrained in 12A, but
| that entire minicabin could hear the whole thing. Not for delicate ears.
| The soldier and the doctors [who were passengers] were great."
|
| Irish newspapers re****ted today that the co-pilot was "acting in a
| peculiar manner and talking loudly to himself".
|
| Fifteen minutes after the first officer was removed from the controls,
| Flight AC 848 made an unscheduled landing at Shannon air****t. The plane
| had been due to arrive at Heathrow at 8.25am on Monday.
|
| Air Canada today insisted passengers' lives were never at risk.
|
| Peter Fitzpatrick, an Air Canada spokesman, said today: "The co-pilot
| fell ill during the flight and the captain elected to divert. The
| aircraft landed without incident. At no time were the safety of the
| passengers or crew in question." He refused to be drawn on whether the
| pilot had suffered a breakdown.
|
| A spokeswoman for Trans****t Canada, the body in charge of national
| aviation, said commercial pilots must have medical check-ups every six
| months.
| #end quote
Rumack: Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur: I can't tell.
Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?
|
