An airline captain has suffered an in-flight heart attack Thursday night and died at a hospital after an emergency landing Friday.
According to CNN, a Boise, Idaho airport tower received a recording on the details of an in-flight crisis involving an airline captain who has suffered from a heart attack on board. The captain - whose name was not released - reportedly died at a hospital after Flight 1603 made an emergency landing.
"We got a man down, chest compressions going on right now," a crew member said on an air traffic control radio frequency. "I'm not sure too much right now on status."
Several reports stated that the flight crew had coordinated with air traffic controllers throughout the emergency landing in order for them to meet up with first responders at the airfield.
"I'll just stop on the runway, and get on the other side of the aircraft and taxi off the runway, and then ambulance and maybe some air care needed off the runway," the flight crew member said on the recording." the crew member told the air traffic controllers.
The airline captain suffered a heart attack Thursday night while the airliner was still abreast the clouds en route from Houston to Seattle, prompting the aircraft to divert right away to Boise at 8 p.m. MT for an emergency landing.
The flight was composed of two pilots, six crew members, and 161 passengers, the airlines said in a statement.
Minutes after the emergency landing, crew members queried though a cabin loudspeaker, if there was a doctor among the passengers, CNN affiliate KOMO reported.
Meanwhile, an onboard passenger reportedly tweeted minutes prior to the landing: "Emergency landing in Boise, hope our pilot is OK. Loving the professionalism of the flight crew."
Paramedics rushed to the plane and found their way to where the pilot was upon landing. The patient was then immediately taken to Saint Alphonsus hospital, where he later died, hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Krajnik said.
Flight 1603 passengers had to wait at the Boise airport until United flew with a different pilot from San Francisco, then they resumed their travel to Seattle.
FAA regulations require pilots for commercial airlines under age 40 to undergo medical examination every year and for those above 40, they are expected to have the examination at least every six months. For pilots to pass the exam, they should not have any established medical history or diagnosed with coronary heart disease.
The mandatory retirement age for commercial airline pilots is 65, according to CNN.
No further information about the pilots whereabouts have been released as of late.
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