A fully vaccinated pilot has dropped dead mid-flight after suffering a cardiac arrest while flying a commercial plane carrying 271 passengers.
56-year-old Captain Ivan Andaur, the pilot of Flight LA505, was “up to date” on his Covid booster shots, as mandated by Latam Airlines.
While flying from Miami, Fla., to Santiago, Chile on Sunday, Andaur died suddenly mid-flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in Panama.
Andaur began feeling unwell three hours into the flight which was cruising at an altitude of 37,000ft.
He left the cockpit of the LATAM Boeing 787 Dreamliner to use the bathroom where he later collapsed.
Simple Flying reported: “The remaining flight crew, comprised of a relief captain and a first officer, elected to make an emergency diversion to Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport (PTY).”
“The aircraft landed safely on Panama City’s runway 03L about 28 minutes later.”
According to the Daily Mail: “Two co-pilots took control of the aircraft and landed at Tocumen International Airport, where paramedics entered the airplane and provided first aid to Andaur but he was pronounced dead”
A nurse onboard the aircraft reportedly attempted to help Capt. Andaur who appeared to be suffering a