by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:50 AM ET, Thu June 25, 2026
An Air Canada flight was forced to make an emergency landing
after the captain experienced a medical issue and required assistance from
passengers.
According to ABCNews.com,
Air Canada Flight AC7664—operated by regional partner PAL Airlines—was en route
from Newark, New Jersey, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday when passengers
reported that the plane “suddenly swerved midflight.”
An Air Canada official said the De Havilland Q400 was
carrying 61 passengers at the time of the incident, and was forced to make an
emergency landing in Boston after the captain experienced a “medical emergency.”
One of the passengers on the flight, Rodney McDonald, told
ABC News that the plane suddenly swerved, and a flight attendant ran into the
cockpit. After a moment, the crew member pulled a pilot out of the cockpit and
into the aisle while he was having a seizure that lasted around “40 minutes.”
McDonald said he and four other passengers helped the
captain and kept him restrained until the first officer took control of the
aircraft and diverted the flight to Boston. He said crew members remained calm,
and a registered nurse on board helped throughout the incident.
Once the plane landed safely, the captain was taken to a
hospital for medical treatment. Air Canada told ABC News it had arranged
alternate travel for travelers impacted by the medical emergency.
“Yeah, it was really horrifying,” McDonald told ABC News. “We're
just grateful, grateful for how it all ended.”
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