an easyJet pilot suffered an injury while flying an Airbus A320-251N from London Luton to Agadir–Al Massira Airport. While on the way to Morocco, the aircraft was forced to divert to Faro, Portugal, for the pilot to receive medical attention.
Unexpected occurrence on board
There was concern on Flight EY2213 / U22213 when the Captain was involved in an accident. While easyJet has not confirmed the cause of the injury due to medical confidentiality, according to AIRLIVE, Faro Airport sources state that the pilot suffered a dislocated shoulder.
According to FlightRadar24.com, the A320neo left London Luton at 08:06 BST. However, just after 09:20 UTC, when the plane passed over Beja in Southern Portugal at 37,000 feet, there was a notable drop in altitude. Within 15 minutes, the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet.
AIRLIVE added that Captain was in severe pain and could not continue at the helm. As a result, the First Officer took over and landed the aircraft safely at Faro Airport in Portugal.
The crew declared an emergency when the flight was approximately 60 miles from Faro Airport. The narrowbody then landed 18 minutes following the distress call.
All taken care of
G-UZHA, the A320neo involved in the incident, is just under five years old. It was delivered to easyJet in June 2017 and has been busy on valuable routes all across easyJet’s network. Just this week, it has been spotted in Belfast, Malaga, Tenerife, Stansted, Gatwick, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.
Word from the airline
Simple Flying reached out to easyJet for comment on this incident. The airline confirmed that the diversion occurred due to Captain needing medical attention.
A spokesperson for the carrier shared the following:
“The First Officer landed the aircraft in line with standard operating procedures and the Captain was met by paramedics on arrival. At no point was the safety of those onboard compromised. “Unfortunately, the diversion meant the crew reached their maximum legal operating hours and so the flight was delayed overnight and departed the following day. easyJet did everything possible to minimise the disruption for our passengers, providing hotel rooms and meals where required.”
easyJet also said that the safety and well-being of its customers and staff is always its highest priority. It concluded that even though this incident was outside the airline’s control, the airline apologizes to its passengers for the inconvenience caused. The company also thanked its customers for their patience and understanding.
Altogether, it must have been a worrying time for those in the cockpit on this easyJet flight. Thankfully, the pair were able to act swiftly to ensure all passengers landed safely and that the pilot received urgent care.