‘The pilot is incapacitated': Captain pulled from cockpit after midflight medical emergency
Jun 25, 2026
An Air Canada flight out of New Jersey en route to Nova Scotia was diverted to Boston after the captain fell ill mid-flight and had to be pulled out of the cockpit, the airline said.
Air Canada Flight 7664, which had been bound for Halifax, landed safely at Logan International Airport around 2
p.m. Wednesday, after the crew reported a pilot’s medical emergency, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The airline released a statement confirming the captain had a medical “issue” in-flight “and was removed from the flight deck as per safety protocols.”
Air Canada said the first officer took control of the aircraft and flew to Boston. Pilots are trained to land safely without a second pilot’s help, the airline said.
The pilot was taken to a Boston hospital for medical treatment, authorities said, but didn’t elaborate further on the person’s condition or the nature of the emergency.
Sixty-one passengers were on the aircraft. Air Canada said it was working to help get customers make new travel arrangements.
Radio communication with the Boston Fire Department indicated the pilot was “incapacitated.”
“The pilot is being manned, the flight is being manned by the co-pilot. The pilot is incapacitated,” someone can be heard saying on emergency correspondence. “The co-pilot will not be able to drive once the plane is landed, landing at 13:40.”
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