Friday, May 11, 2012

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA pilot incapacitated during flight from Hong Kong to Johannesburg.

South African Airways logoA South African Airways pilot was incapacitated during a scheduled flight from Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok Airport to Johannesburg on 30 April.


The aircraft in question was an Airbus A340-300 ZS-SXA.

SAA Airbus A340
South African Airways A340 ZS-SXA (Joe Osciak)
The Aviation Herald reports:
An SAA South African Airways Airbus A340-300, registration ZS-SXA performing flight SA-287 (scheduled departure Apr 29th, actual departure Apr 30th) from Hong Kong (China) to Johannesburg (South Africa), was enroute with a training captain as commander of the aircraft supervising a captain under training and a first officer at the flight deck, the captain under training taking his break in the crew rest bunk, when the commander became ill showing symptoms similiar to a stroke.
Medical personnel travelling on the aircraft provided first aid to the commander while the captain was called back to the cockpit. A South African Airways doctor was consulted via satellite phone, the commander was stabilized.
A senior captain, who was travelling as a passenger aboard the aircraft, assisted the crew for the remainder of the flight, which was continued to Johannesburg for a safe landing.