Stewardess helps to land Boeing 737 bound for Mallorca with 195 people on board after co-pilot passes out

  • TUIfly plane en route from Hannover to Mallorca got into trouble in October 2016
  • Co-pilot passed out and had to be tended to by a doctor on board the flight
  • Pilot decided to land aircraft, carrying 195 people, with help from a stewardess

By Chris Pleasance for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A brave air stewardess helped to land a German aircraft after the co-pilot passed out in the middle of a flight.

A TUIfly plane traveling from Hannover to Mallorca was in French airspace when it got into trouble on October 11 last year, investigators say.

The co-pilot of the Boeing 747-800 passed out due to extremely low blood pressure around 5.30am, forcing an air stewardess to take his place during landing.

An air stewardess was forced to take the place of a co-pilot on a German TUIfly plane travelling from Hannover to Mallorca in October last year after the man passed out

An air stewardess was forced to take the place of a co-pilot on a German TUIfly plane travelling from Hannover to Mallorca in October last year after the man passed out

The plane, which was carrying 195 passengers and crew, landed safely in Spain.

Investigators from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation published details of the emergency on Tuesday.

The report says the co-pilot had just used the bathroom when he suddenly felt unwell and had to lie down in the forward galley.

A doctor on board the aircraft was called to the cockpit where he revealed the co-pilot was suffering from low blood pressure.

Despite the co-pilot remaining conscious, the pilot decided to land the plane without him, and asked a member of the cabin crew for assistance. 

While pilots are trained and authorised to land aircraft solo, they can also ask for assistance from others on board if needed.

The plane, which was carrying 195 passengers and crew landed in Mallorca, Spain (file image), without incident. Airline bosses say the stewardess will be rewarded

The plane, which was carrying 195 passengers and crew landed in Mallorca, Spain (file image), without incident. Airline bosses say the stewardess will be rewarded

The stewardess was required to help perform pre-landing safety checks, the investigators said. 

After landing the co-pilot was taken to a nearby hospital where he was examined, though no abnormalities were discovered.

Jan Hillrichs, a spokesman for TUIfly, said such cases are 'extremely rare' and the stewardess will be rewarded for her actions.

He added that the safety of the aircraft was 'in no was compromised' by the incident.

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