The pilot of Flight LA505 flying from Miami, Fla., to Santiago, Chile, died Sunday mid-flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in Panama.
The incident happened three hours into the trip after Captain Ivan Andaur began feeling sick at a cruising altitude of 37,000ft and left the cockpit of the LATAM Boeing 787 Dreamliner to use the lavatory where he later collapsed.
“The remaining flight crew, comprised of a relief captain and a first officer, elected to make an emergency diversion to Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport (PTY),” according to SimpleFlying.com. “The aircraft landed safely on Panama City’s runway 03L about 28 minutes later.”
“Two co-pilots took control of the aircraft and landed at Tocumen International Airport, where paramedics entered the airplane and provided first aid to Andaur but he was pronounced dead,” reports Daily Mail.
A nurse onboard the aircraft reportedly attempted to help Capt. Andaur who appeared to be suffering a cardiac emergency, however she says she lacked the proper medical equipment to resuscitate the pilot.
