A captain has landed Ryanair flight safely in Cluj after first officer becomes incapacitated mid-descent.
The Ryanair (FR) Boeing 737-800 (B738) from Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport, Italy declared an in-flight emergency on Nov. 7 after the first officer became unwell during descent and passed out.
The captain first issued a PAN-PAN call, escalating to MAYDAY as the first officer lost consciousness. The aircraft landed safely at Cluj-Napoca (CLJ), where medical teams met the flight. The first officer was taken to the hospital for treatment.
According to air traffic control (ATC) communication logs, the flight crew of Ryanair flight FR2682 reported that the first officer was feeling unwell while descending toward Cluj in northwest Romania. Shortly after, the captain declared PAN-PAN—an international radio call used to indicate an urgent but not immediately life-threatening situation.
After the first officer became unresponsive, the captain upgraded the emergency to MAYDAY, signaling the pilot was fully incapacitated. The captain requested medical assistance on arrival and proceeded with the landing under challenging circumstances, Aviation2z reported.
The runway was kept clear for the aircraft’s priority landing.
After touchdown, the captain brought the aircraft to a stop on the runway, shut down both engines, and awaited emergency responders. Airport fire and medical teams reached the aircraft shortly after, attending to the unconscious first officer.
The first officer regained consciousness about five minutes after landing but remained weak. After receiving on-site medical attention, she was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. There was no further word on the pilot’s condition.
The aircraft, which had stopped on the runway for around 50 minutes, was later towed to the apron, where passengers were disembarked safely.
Cluj is a vital gateway to Transylvania and Romania’s expanding tourism markets and the efficient handling of unexpected emergencies are important to sustain confidence in air travel and the broader tourism industry in Romania.
Pilot incapacitation incidents are rare but are a reminder of the need for vigilance, crew health monitoring, and emergency preparedness.
