Passengers Help Restrain Captain After In-Flight Medical Emergency on Air Canada Flight

An Air Canada flight operated by PAL Airlines was forced into an emergency landing in Boston after the captain suffered a sudden medical episode while the plane was en route Wednesday evening from Newark, New Jersey, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. During the flight, the aircraft veered off course and made unusual maneuvers as the first officer worked to keep control.

Passenger Rodney McDonald, who was traveling with his family, told ABC News that he immediately knew something was wrong. “As soon as the plane veered, I knew something was off because it wasn’t turbulence,” he said. “It felt like someone was manipulating the controls in an unnatural way.”

McDonald said a flight attendant rushed into the cockpit and pulled the pilot into the passenger aisle. He described the captain as physically disoriented and not in control of his senses, though not violent. McDonald, four other passengers, and one registered nurse then spent about 40 minutes restraining the pilot, using seat belts to secure his legs, arms, and chest.

He praised the cabin crew, saying they “were fantastic” and stayed calm throughout the ordeal. After the plane landed safely in Boston, emergency medical teams met the aircraft and took the captain to a hospital for treatment.