Jet 2 Manchester to Madeira flight diverted due to 'unwell' pilot
- Published
Passengers said they were told of "an incident" on board
A Jet2 flight bound for Madeira had to make an emergency landing due to one of the pilots "feeling unwell", the airline said.
Flight LS765 from Manchester to Funchal landed in Porto, Portugal after passengers were told of an "incident".
Jet 2 apologised to passengers and said the flight had been diverted as a precautionary measure.
A standby aircraft and replacement crew was being sent to Porto, the company added.
'Quite scary'
Sheila, 69, from Formby, who was on the plane, said an announcement came through to the cabin which said "due to an incident in the flight deck we'll be diverting to Lisbon."
She said: "We had no idea whatsoever what the incident was.
"It could have been medical, a fire, mechanical problems. Everyone was really concerned.
"It is quite scary I can tell you. You just want more information. Perhaps it would be better if they said nothing at all.
"You start imagining someone wrestling the pilot or a mechanical problem."
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Sheila, who did not want to give her surname, said the plane was then turned.
"Eventually we landed at Porto, which was not what we were originally told," she said.
She said she saw a paramedic at the front of the plane and "someone in a white shirt was carried down the steps".
"A stewardess, who was shaken, mentioned the pilot had drifted in and out of consciousness."
Sheila and her husband planned to spend 10 days on holiday in Madeira.
"We're all absolutely drained. Everyone is concerned about the pilot," she added.