Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Pilot Fainted In Cockpit

A plane was forced to make an emergency landing after the pilot fainted in the cockpit. 

The flight, which was on its way to Maderia from Manchester, had to divert to Porto in Portugal due to an "onboard medical situation", according to the airline. The pilot is understood to have been taken to hospital on arrival. 

The alarm is said to have been sounded around 10.20am local time today, August 26, and a runway was closed for half an hour till 11am so the emergency landing could take place, Metro UK reports. Airport sources told local media the airport is now operating normally. 

Medical responders said they had received a request to assist a 40-year-old man who was taken to hospital "as a precaution."

According to Metro UK, a spokesman for Jet2 said: "Flight LS765 from Manchester to Funchal diverted to Porto as a precautionary measure this morning, due to one of the pilots feeling unwell. 

"A standby aircraft and replacement crew will be flown to Porto so that we can get customers on their way to Funchal as soon as possible."