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Air Canada Flight Diverts to Boston After Captain Becomes Incapacitated

The co‑pilot landed the plane safely while passengers and crew restrained the stricken captain and emergency crews took him to a Boston hospital for treatment.

Overview

  • Flight AC7664, operated by PAL Airlines for Air Canada, left Newark and was diverted to Boston after crew reported a pilot medical emergency on Wednesday, with 61 passengers aboard.
  • Passengers say the aircraft lurched midflight and that a flight attendant and a registered nurse helped remove the captain from the cockpit before several travelers restrained him during an apparent seizure.
  • The first officer assumed control and landed the De Havilland Q400 at Logan Airport around 2 p.m., where Massport Fire Rescue and Boston EMS met the aircraft and transported the captain to Massachusetts General Hospital.
  • Air Canada is arranging onward travel for affected customers and said pilots are trained to land safely without a second pilot, while the company and authorities expect federal aviation regulators to review the incident.
  • Two‑pilot redundancy and standard emergency protocols guided the response, and the investigation will likely look at the captain’s medical status, crew procedures and whether in‑flight medical aid followed best practices.