Lufthansa plane flew 10 minutes without pilot during medical emergency in 2024, report finds
A Lufthansa plane flew for about 10 minutes without a pilot when the co-pilot became incapacitated while the captain was outside the cockpit during a flight last February, according to Spain's Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.
The flight on Feb. 17, 2024, from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain — an Airbus A321 carrying 199 passengers and six crew members — was over the Iberian Peninsula when the captain left the flight deck to go to the bathroom. Shortly afterward, the 38-year-old co-pilot "suffered a sudden and severe incapacitation," a report from the Ministry of Transport said.
The report ultimately concluded that the plane "flew for about 10 minutes in the cruise phase with the autopilot engaged but without additional supervision by either pilot."
When the captain was finished in the bathroom, he could not get back into the cockpit, according to the report. The door to the cockpit can only be opened from the inside, so to get back in, the captain would have to enter a code that would then alert the person inside the cockpit to open the door for them.
The captain entered the code several times but still couldn't get into the flight deck. When a crew member tried to contact the co-pilot from the intercom, there was no response. The captain then used the emergency code — which would have unlocked the door after a short delay — to try to get into the flight deck, but before the delay expired, the co-pilot opened the door from the inside to let him in.
The captain noticed the co-pilot was "pale, sweating and moving strangely," according to the report, so he was given first aid by a crew member and a doctor who happened to be traveling on the flight as a passenger. That doctor diagnosed the co-pilot with a possible heart condition, the report said.
The investigation into the incident concluded the co-pilot's incapacitation was "the symptom of a neurological condition that had not been detected either by the affected person himself or in the previous aeronautical medical examinations."
The report found that the co-pilot lost consciousness so suddenly, he didn't have time to warn other crew members.
While the co-pilot was incapacitated, he inadvertently hit several switches in the cockpit, including increasing pressure on one of the foot pedals, according to the report. This caused a 2-degree roll and a 5-degree heading change, both of which were fixed by the plane's autopilot, which remained on the whole time.
About two minutes elapsed from the time the captain first tried to get back into the cockpit to when the door was finally opened, according to the report.
The captain diverted the plane to the nearest airport, which was Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas Airport, where the flight landed safely about 20 minutes later. The co-pilot did not return to the cockpit for the rest of the flight.
The co-pilot's condition would not have been found during medical screenings unless he was actively experiencing symptoms at the time or had previously experienced them, the report said. The co-pilot's medical certificate was suspended after the flight, with the report noting: "This illness is disqualifying for obtaining or maintaining medical fitness to fly."
Lufthansa did not immediately respond to CBS News' request for comment.
Jordan Freiman
Jordan Freiman is a news editor for CBSNews.com. He covers breaking news, trending stories, sports and crime. Jordan has previously worked at Spin and Death and Taxes.
contributed to this report.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cracker Recalls That Affected Millions
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Crackers have been around since time immemorial, albeit not in the same snackable form as we know them today. Dating back to ancient civilizations, crackers of that time were most likely flatbreads made from flour and water. The first modern crackers were introduced in 1792, which he later sold as Crown Pilot Crackers, a product that was only discontinued in 2008. While the recipes for commercially sold crackers vary, these bite-sized treats are characterized by a crispy texture and a savory flavor profile. However, regardless of their shape or flavor, crackers are not immune to mishaps. From mislabeling to contamination with foreign materials, even popular cracker brands like Ritz and Goldfish have been pulled off the shelves to protect consumers from injury, illness, or allergic reactions. On one occasion, crackers have even been withdrawn from the market after a trademark dispute. Curious about some of the biggest recalls in cracker history? Take a look at our roundup of the most significant safety scares that involved this popular snack! And if crackers aren't your thing, why not check out our article on some of the biggest chocolate recalls that affected millions. Read more: 6 Nuts To Stop Eating And 8 To Choose Instead Despite their evocative name, oyster crackers don't contain any shellfish. Instead, the small crackers got their name because they were often eaten alongside oyster stews and clam chowders. Today, the wheat-based crackers are still commonly enjoyed with soups and stews, as well as other warm and filling dishes like savory chili. Unfortunately, in February 2025, oyster crackers became the center of a food safety recall when Ohio-based Shearer's Foods pulled them from grocery store shelves due to fears of metal contamination. In total, over 15,000 cases of the crackers were recalled under a range of brand names, including Market Pantry, Great Value, Giant Eagle, and Vista. The products had been shipped to Walmart, Target, and Giant Eagle stores in 24 states. The FDA gave the Shearer's Foods oyster cracker recall a Class II designation, which applies to products that "may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote." It's unclear how the stainless steel wire metal fragments ended up in the crackers. TreeHouse Foods specializes in the manufacturing of private label foods and beverages. The company's products include coffee, pretzels, cookies, cheeses, powdered beverages, broths, stocks, and, of course, crackers. In August 2023, TreeHouse Foods' crackers faced negative publicity after fragments of metal were found in Trader Joe's-branded crackers with sunflower and flaxseeds. In total, the recall affected more than 13,000 cases — or close to 200,000 pounds — of the product. Luckily, no injuries were linked to the vegan snack at the time. Trader Joe's isn't new to recalls, with two other product withdrawals taking place just a month before the Multigrain Crackers with sunflower and flaxseeds incident. In July 2023 Trader Joe's recalled its Almond Windmill Cookies and Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies over concerns that the biscuits may contain rocks. The other recall that took place that same month involved Trader Joe's Broccoli Cheddar Soup due to the possibility that it may contain insects. To learn more about the chain's recalls, take a look at our article on the biggest recalls in Trader Joe's history. Featuring a range of cute animal shapes, Publix GreenWise Animal Crackers are a fun snack for both adults and kids. Considering how innocuous the product appeared, the 2022 announcement that it might be harboring an undeclared allergen took many consumers by surprise. More specifically, Toufayan Bakery's Publix GreenWise Animal Crackers were flagged due to the possibility that they contained coconut, an undeclared allergen that could have triggered severe health issues in sensitive individuals. Tree nuts are one of the FDA's nine major allergens, alongside milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. The mislabeled 8-ounce pouches of Publix GreenWise Animal Crackers had been sold at Publix Supermarkets in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. While it's not exactly clear how the coconut may have ended up in the product, the contamination was attributed to a "temporary breakdown in the production and packaging processes." Despite their advertised flavor profile, Back to Nature Cheddalicious Cheese Flavored Crackers contain no actual cheese or dairy-based ingredients. Instead, these crunchy bites are completely vegan, relying on plant-based ingredients to replicate the cheddar flavor so beloved by consumers. The crackers are also free of GMOs, artificial colors, artificial flavors, high-fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated oils. In 2022, Back to Nature Cheddalicious Cheese Flavored Crackers came under scrutiny after they failed to deliver on their dairy-free promise. More precisely, it was discovered that certain batches of the crackers contained both undeclared milk and eggs. The mislabeled products had been shipped to Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Luckily, no adverse health issues were linked to the products at the time, with the recall issued "out of an abundance of caution." Undeclared allergens are one of the most common reasons for food being pulled off supermarket shelves in the U.S. Whether it's peanuts, wheat, milk, or soybeans, even trace amounts of some ingredients can have disastrous consequences for individuals suffering from severe food allergies. This is why proper and transparent labeling is so critical. One case of mislabeling that could have proven fatal took place in 2021, when Simple Mills, a brand known for its gluten-free and nutrition-conscious snacks, announced a recall of its Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers. The issue arose when boxes of the product were mislabled and accidentally filled with Farmhouse Cheddar Almond Flour Crackers, which contain milk. Simple Mills was alerted about the mix-up by a consumer who discovered the blunder. Fortunately, only one individual reported experiencing mild symptoms after eating the mislabeled product. Introduced by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) — today a subsidiary of Mondelēz Global — in 1934, Ritz crackers were marketed as a budget-friendly luxury snack during the Great Depression. It wasn't long before the buttery, slightly flaky biscuits became a hit with consumers, taking the spot as the top selling cracker globally by the end of the 1930s. Building on this success, today Ritz offers a wide range of cracker flavors and format choices like hot honey, zesty herb, and sour cream and onion. One of the Ritz variants is the Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, which combines two buttery crackers with a cheese filling. In 2020, the popular product drew public attention after Mondelēz Global was forced to pull it off the shelves due to the possible presence of an undeclared allergen. The issue arose due to mispackaging. More specifically, some boxes labeled as Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches actually contained Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers. Peanut butter is a known allergen that can trigger potentially life-threatening reactions in those sensitive to the ingredient. No adverse health issues had been linked to the product at the time — perhaps because the packaging featured a label warning that the so-called cheese crackers "may contain peanuts." Launched by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco), now under the umbrella of Mondelēz Global, in 1955, Cheese Nips Baked Snack Crackers were invented to compete with Sunshine Biscuits' Cheez-It crackers, which had been on the market since 1921. Known for their crunchy texture and rich cheddar flavor, the Nabisco snack did reasonably well until 2019, when it became the subject of a nationwide recall. Mondelēz Global issued the product recall due to fears of possible plastic contamination. To be more precise, it was discovered that some of the Cheese Nips may have been tainted with "food-grade yellow plastic pieces" that had dislodged from the dough scraper used in their manufacturing process. No injuries or adverse health effects had been connected to the product at the time of the recall. If you would like to find out more about some of this company's other blunders, take a look at our roundup of Nabisco recalls that affected millions. The founder of Pepperidge Farm, Margaret Rudkin, was a force to be reckoned with. Not only did she teach herself to bake nutritious, preservative-free bread after her son started to develop food allergies, but she turned what she learned into a thriving business. She also authored a 1963 "Pepperidge Farm Cookbook" and was the first woman to serve on the board of directors of the Campbell Soup Company after it acquired Pepperidge Farm in 1961. Rudkin was also the business mind behind the launch of Goldfish Crackers in the U.S. in 1962, after she discovered them on her vacation in Switzerland. Today Pepperidge Farm's Goldfish Crackers come in a range of flavor variants. Unfortunately, four of these had to be recalled in 2018 due to potential contamination with salmonella. The pulled flavors included Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar, Flavor Blasted Sour Cream & Onion, Goldfish Baked with Whole Grain Xtra Cheddar, and Goldfish Mix Xtra Cheddar + Pretzel. Pepperidge Farm issued the recall after learning that the whey powder, which was used to season the crackers, may have been contaminated when it was manufactured at Associated Milk Producers. One suspect ingredient can taint a range of products — including ones made by completely different companies. That is precisely what happened in 2018, when Mondelēz Global joined Pepperidge Farm in issuing a recall after being alerted to the possible salmonella contamination in the whey powder supplied by Associated Milk Producers. The suspect ingredient was used to season a range of the company's Ritz Bitz and Ritz Cracker Sandwiches. The precautionary recall took place in the U.S., as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Salmonella can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. While healthy adults usually recover without complications, the impact of the bacterial infection can be much more serious for certain individuals. For instance, children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are at a particular risk, with the pathogen possibly even leading to hospitalization and death. May Flower International is a distributor of Asian food products, including snacks, pickles, sauces, seasoning, flour and rice noodles, and frozen food. In 2018, the New York-based company recalled 4.4-ounce packages of 3+2 Soda Crackers due to the risk that they could contain undeclared milk. Just like their name suggests, 3+2 Soda Crackers consist of three layers of soda crackers separated by two layers of filling. Once imported to the U.S., the 3+2 Soda Crackers were distributed nationally, making the recall more complex, as the mislabeled products could be found in grocery stores across a wide area. The presence of milk — an ingredient not listed on the packaging — was discovered after routine testing by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors. While there were no reports of any consumers being sickened by the crackers at the time, the product could have had disastrous consequences for individuals allergic to dairy. Just some of the symptoms of a milk allergy include vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. In the worst case scenario, a severe allergic reaction to the product can even lead to anaphylactic shock. Mars Chocolate North America — which merged into Mars Wrigley Confectionery in 2017 — is best known for its Mars chocolate bars. The popular caramel, nougat, and milk chocolate confection was launched in 1932 in the U.K, and has since become a staple grocery item around the globe. The 2016 recall had nothing to do with Mars Bars, instead centering on cracker-based snacks, including Combos Cheddar Cheese Pretzel, Cheddar Cheese Cracker, Pizzeria Pretzel, Sweet and Salty Caramel Pretzel, Pepperoni Cracker, and Buffalo Pretzel. The products were pulled off the shelves due to potential contamination with peanuts, a known allergen that can trigger potentially life-threatening reactions in sensitive individuals. Mars Chocolate North America raised the alarm after one of its suppliers, Grain Craft, issued a recall of the wheat flour used in the products, warning that it was likely to contain traces of peanuts. The products had been distributed nationwide, as well as in the Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Antigua, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. Unlike most other recalls, which involve product contamination or undeclared allergens, the 1998 Nabisco recall of the company's Cheese Nips CatDog crackers centered around a legal issue. Manufactured as a part of the promotion of Nickelodeon's animated TV show "CatDog," the snack featured fish-shaped Cheese Nips crackers, which Pepperidge Farm claimed looked too much like its trademarked Goldfish Crackers. Pepperidge Farm initiated a lawsuit over this similarity, claiming that Nabisco infringed on its trademark fish-shaped cracker brand. The judge sided with Pepperidge Farm, ordering Nabisco to stop production and recall any Cheese Nips CatDog crackers that may have already found their way onto grocery store shelves. The judge also instructed Pepperidge Farm to post a $3.55 million bond to safeguard Nabisco against any potential losses if the decision was overturned. While the ruling threw a wrench into Nickelodeon's promotional plan with Nabisco, the network continued its "CatDog" advertising with other partners, including Kraft Foods and Burger King. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brevard: How do you know if the water where you are swimming is safe?
How do you really know whether the water you're wading in, swimming or paddling in is safe? Should you even let your dog drink it? The risks make headlines every summer: bacteria from sewage or wildlife; toxins from algae that's already sickening manatees, dolphins and even alligators; rare, strange brain-eating amoebas; and emerging pathogens strengthening to "superbugs" due to antibiotic resistance. These risks tend to spike after heavy rains wash bacteria and nutrients from wildlife droppings and human sources from the land. So health departments periodically pull water samples from the beach surf zone during warmer months. But results aren't ready for a few days, so surfers and swimmers often don't know how much bacteria was in the water until after the fact. It's always swim at your own risk in Florida. But the following resources can help you check the chronic problem areas and make an informed choice on which days are safest for you and yours to take a dip: From March through September, this program samples the surf zone for bacteria at 10 Brevard beaches and at other beaches statewide every two weeks, posting the results on its website: But they only test during warmer months, when bacteria growth is higher and there are more people on the beach. On May 27, Jetty Park tested "moderate" for enterococcus bacteria. Enterococcus bacteria lives in the gut of humans and other animals. Its presence can indicate other, more dangerous bacteria in the water. Health officials measure the number of colony-forming units (CFU) of enterococcus per 100 milliliters of water sample. A sample is "good," if 35 or less CFUs. A "moderate" level is 36 to 70 enterococcus CFUs. Higher than that is a "poor" result, which triggers health officials to retest. A health advisory for bacteria in the water means that contact with the water may increase risk of skin, ear, eye, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. The nonprofit Surfrider also tests for bacteria in local waters. You can check out local results on their online map. You can see Surfrider's water sampling results on their online map at The group's recently released its Clean Water Report identifies beach waters where bacteria hot spots across the country. The group identified Ballard Park in Melbourne among the top 10 for bacteria hot spots due to the frequency of water samples failing to meet state health safety standards. Last year, 52% of Ballard Park samples exceeded the state health standard for enterococci bacteria, the group says. Vibrio vulnificus, one of the fastest growing bacteria known, is potentially deadly. It can enter the bloodstream via scratches and other open wounds. It is also a risk from eating raw oysters. You can learn about that risk at CDC's site: The risk of infection from water exposure is very rare but you can learn more at the state health department site: Last year, Titusville City Council unanimously approved a proposed $70,000 settlement agreement to resolve a lawsuit over a boy who became paralyzed after paddle boarding in the Indian River Lagoon near a city sewage spill in late 2020. According to the suit, in late December of 2020 the boy went paddle boarding and swimming in the lagoon in Titusville, departing from his mother's house, 4.5 miles south of Sand Point Park in Titusville. He was in the water several times, according to the suit. But on Dec. 23, water samples downstream of the ponds' lagoon outfalls exceeded water quality criteria for bacteria. In August 2011, 16-year-old Astronaut High student Courtney Nash of Mims died of the amoebic infection after swimming in the St. Johns River near the Brevard-Volusia county line. Before her death, Brevard County's most recent Naegleria fowleri cases were a Port Malabar Elementary third-grader who swam at Max K. Rodes Park in West Melbourne in 2002 and a 6-year-old boy who was infected in 1980. Both children died. Learn about it and other waterborne disease risks here: In May, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $9.7 million in grant funding that states, Tribes, and territories use to monitor recreational water quality and to notify the public if elevated levels of illness-causing bacteria make swimming unsafe. That includes $500,000 to Florida's Healthy Beaches Program. Surfrider is warning of efforts by the federal government to cut funding to that program. Waymer covers environment. Reach him at (321) 261-5903 or jwaymer@ Follow him on X at @JWayEnviro. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: How to know if Brevard water you are swimming in is safe? Find data here.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Safety expert warns of scammers selling free online courses
A Chorley safety expert has warned the public about online scammers charging people for his content. Dale Allen, founder of the Safety-Verse, said "copycat" companies have been taking his freely available health and safety courses and selling them to unsuspecting users. The Safety-Verse offers certified training through The Knights of Safety Academy, covering topics such as online safety, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, and mental health awareness. Mr Allen said: "For years, we have proudly provided free health and safety training to over 300,000 students to help people upskill, stay safe and build careers. "Our mission has always been rooted in one thing—access for everyone with no barriers. "These resources were created to save lives, not to be exploited for profit behind closed doors. "The misuse of our content without permission is deeply disappointing, unethical and unlawful." Mr Allen said "copycat" sites were not only charging for the free courses, but also issuing the Knights of Safety Academy's official certificates as if they were their own. He is now advising people to access the courses through the official Safety-Verse platform and to report any websites offering the training for a fee. While the copying activity is a breach of copyright law, Mr Allen said his bigger concern was that people were being exploited. Mr Allen added: "It's not just about the law, it is the principle. "People deserve honesty and clarity and we want to protect the value of free, open safety education." He also warned the public to be cautious of similar schemes online, including websites that charge for government services which are otherwise free, such as getting a tax refund from HMRC or applying for child benefit. The 44-year-old became interested in health and safety after a near-death experience at the age of five, when he almost choked on a marble. His mother was able to save him by holding him upside down and slapping him on the back until the marble dislodged. Mr Allen said the incident was a turning point in his life and led him to dedicate himself to safety education. More information and free training resources can be found at
