UK passenger jet pilot dies mid-flight
 

LONDON, England (AP) -- A British airline said Monday that one of its flights was forced to divert to Turkey after the co-pilot died in mid-flight. He died of natural causes, the airline said.

GB Airways said the Airbus A320, carrying 156 passengers from Manchester to Paphos in Cyprus, landed in Istanbul on Sunday after what was termed a medical emergency on the flight deck.

The co-pilot was pronounced dead once the plane had landed.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe...ef=mpstoryview

Natural causes, at age 43?? :eek:

cnn.com seems to have pulled the photo they were running of the copilot dead in his seat in the cockpit. (Taken from outside the aircraft, apparently from a terminal building as it was a straight on shot of the nose of the aircraft)

I wonder if they pulled it because they finally figured out that showing it was an incredibly tasteless and insensitive thing to do.

As unbelievable as it sounds it's very possible...one of my coworkers died about 2 months ago from pneumonia at 42.

He kept putting off seeing a doctor for a while and kept insisting it was just a cold. Went into the ER to finally get it looked at, they admited him, he coded later and well a very sensless death that could have been avoided if he just went to see a doctor.

So sorry to hear about your co-worker. :( Very sad.

Unless I missed something, this co-pilot hadn't been ill, though. I'm 43 now....hate to think I could kick the bucket of natural causes!