Airline captain suffers fatal heart attack mid-flight

BOISE, Idaho — The stricken captain of a United Airꦗlines flight that made an emergency landing died at a hospital, officials said.

Tᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚhe man was still alive when he arrived at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center but died overnight while undergoing treatment, spokeswoman Jennifer Krajnik said Friday. A Boise airport spokeswoman said Thursday that th꧃e man suffered an apparent heart attack. The cause of death has not been announced.

Passenger Ken Martin told Seattle TV station KOMO a first-year resident do🅰ctor sitting next to him volunteered to help perform CPR. She told Martin the pilot appeared to weigh over 300 pounds and was taken into the first class cabin where CPR was performed.

P🍷assenger Bryant Magill de🎀scribed a calm scene onboard.

“I’m really impressed with all the flight attendants,” Magill told KOMO. “They kept themselves calm. They kept it professional. There was no panic on the plane.”

The airline did not give the pilot’s name, citing privacy reasons.

“I am sad to confirm that our co-worker passed away last night. Our thoughts are with his family at this time,” spokeswoman Christen David said in an email.

Another off-duty United pilot was onꦿboard and helped land th😼e plane, David said.

United꧟ flight 1603 from Houston to Seattle diverted to Boise for the medical emergency. The flight landed safely about 8 p.m. local time and was met by paramedics who took the pilot to the hospital. The Boeing 737-900 had 161 passengers an𓂃d a crew of six on board.

David says another pilot fl𒆙ew the original plane and passengers to Sea-Tac Airport.