An Air Canada flight carrying 61 passengers from Newark, New Jersey, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, made an emergency diversion to Boston's Logan International Airport after the captain suffered a mid-air medical emergency. According to multiple reports, Flight AC7664, operated by regional partner PAL Airlines on a De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprop aircraft, experienced sudden jolting and swerving about an hour into its flight.
Key Takeaways
An Air Canada flight diverted to Boston after the pilot suffered a medical emergency mid-air. Passengers described sudden jolting as the co-pilot took control and safely landed the plane.
- Air Canada Flight 7664 diverted to Boston due to incapacitated pilot
- Co-pilot successfully landed the plane at Logan International Airport
- Passengers helped restrain the pilot during the emergency
- Pilot was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 2 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot's Condition | 1 Difference | Daily Mail reports passengers restrained pilot; CBS News and Fox News state condition remains unclear. | ▼ |
| Flight Details | Broad Agreement | Flight AC7664 carried 61 passengers from Newark to Halifax. | |
| Landing Time | Broad Agreement | Plane landed safely in Boston at around 2 p.m. |
Pilot's Condition
▼Daily Mail reports passengers restrained pilot; CBS News and Fox News state condition remains unclear.
Flight Details
Broad AgreementFlight AC7664 carried 61 passengers from Newark to Halifax.
Landing Time
Broad AgreementPlane landed safely in Boston at around 2 p.m.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The co-pilot took control of the aircraft and safely landed it in Boston at around 2 p.m. local time. Passengers described feeling abrupt movements as the plane was diverted. Rodney McDonald, a passenger traveling with his family, told WCVB News that he knew something was wrong when the plane began to swerve repeatedly.
'When the plane swerved, I knew something was wrong. It was not turbulence,' McDonald said. 'It really felt like someone jolted the controls, and it happened over and over again.' Passengers assisted in restraining the pilot, who appeared to be suffering a seizure. A registered nurse on board helped direct passengers during the emergency.
The captain was removed from the cockpit and taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment. The condition of the pilot remains unclear. Air Canada stated that the captain experienced a medical issue and was removed from the flight deck as per safety protocols, with the first officer taking control of the aircraft. Aviation expert Patrick Smith explained that this scenario highlights why every plane has more than one pilot.
'Both pilots are fully qualified and can operate the airplane,' Smith told CBS News. 'To do so with one of the two pilots incapacitated would have increased the workload for another pilot.' The flight eventually departed from Logan Airport around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and landed safely in Halifax.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.