In February 2024, a Lufthansa Airbus A321 with over 200 passengers en route from Frankfurt to Seville flew without pilot control for about 10 minutes after the first officer suddenly lost consciousness.
With 30 minutes left in the flight, the captain left the cockpit to use the bathroom, leaving the first officer at the controls. When the captain returned eight minutes later, he was unable to re-enter the cockpit—there was no response from the first officer, and the emergency code timer had expired.
Eventually, the first officer regained consciousness and opened the door. The captain described him as pale, sweating, and disoriented. The flight was rerouted to Madrid, where a doctor onboard and crew assisted the first officer. After landing, he was hospitalized and diagnosed with a seizure disorder that had caused his sudden incapacitation.
