Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 makes emergency landing after captain incapacitated

A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 flying from Miami to Frankfurt was forced to make an emergency diversion after the captain in command of the flight became incapacitated. The first officer, accompanied by another Lufthansa pilot acting as relief crew, subsequently took control of the flight and made an emergency landing in Montreal, Canada.

The incident unfolded on January 19, 2025, although full details have only just come to light. The flight involved was LH463, the German carrier’s daily flight from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Frankfurt-Main Airport in Germany, the airline’s main. hub. The flight was being operated by one of the carrier’s 19-strong fleet of Boeing 747-8 widebodies, registered D-ABYF.

Having departed Miami at 17:23 local time for the eight-hour flight to Frankfurt, the aircraft headed up the eastern seaboard of the US towards St Johns, Newfoundland where it planned to commence its overnight oceanic crossing. However, approximately 3.5 hours into the flight and with the aircraft overhead Newfoundland and cruising at 35,000ft (10,668m), the crew reported to Canadian air traffic controllers that the captain had become incapacitated.

Flightradar24After a short discussion, it was decided that the flight would turn around and make an emergency landing at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)  in Canada. The aircraft turned and headed in a south-westerly direction, dumping excess fuel en route to Montreal, where it landed safely approximately 5.5 hours after departing Miami.  

The Canadian Transport Safety Board (TSB) reported that the captain of flight LH463 became ill while in the crew rest area of the aircraft. The senior first officer assumed command, and the first officer was summoned to the cockpit. Two flight attendants provided first aid to the captain while the aircraft descended toward Montreal.

There has been no update issued by either the airline or the Canadian authorities regarding the medical condition of the captain of the flight. The passengers were deplaned in Montreal and accommodated on other flights to reach their destination.

Vytautas Kielaitis / ShutterstockThe aircraft itself eventually departed Montreal 48 hours later on January 21, 2025, when it was ferried from Canada back to Frankfurt as LH9871. The following day it was despatched to Xiamen in China for routine heavy maintenance check, where it remains at the time of writing.

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