A Lufthansa flight operated for over 10 minutes last year without an alert pilot at the controls, according to a report by the Spanish air accident investigation body, CIAIAC.

On February 17, 2024, an Airbus A321 flying from , to Seville, Spain, experienced a situation where the co-pilot suffered a “sudden and severe incapacitation,” losing consciousness while the captain was out of the cockpit for “physiological reasons,” the investigation detailed.

The report indicated that the autopilot system was active during this period, which allowed the aircraft, carrying 199 passengers and six crew members, to maintain stable flight.

“We are aware of the report issued by the Spanish authorities,” Lufthansa Airlines stated to Digital.

“Lufthansa has fully supported the authorities in their investigation. Furthermore, our own department has also conducted a thorough investigation,” the airline added, while refraining from further comments on the report.

The report revealed that at 10:31 UTC, the captain left the cockpit to use the restroom shortly before the copilot became incapacitated. Upon the captain’s return eight minutes later, repeated attempts to unlock the door using the standard entry procedure were unsuccessful. A cabin-crew intercom call to the flight deck also received no response.

The report further stated that after an emergency access code was entered, and just before the automatic door release, the copilot, despite being unwell, manually opened the cockpit door from the inside. The captain resumed control of the aircraft at 10:42 UTC.

The investigation report described the copilot as “pale, sweating and moving strangely” when the captain returned. After a crew member and a doctor on board provided first aid and suspected a potential , the captain decided to divert the flight to the nearest suitable airport, landing in Madrid approximately 20 minutes later. The copilot was then hospitalized.

The report concluded that the copilot was later diagnosed with a previously undetected neurological condition.

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