A Polish flight was forced to make an emergency landing following the sudden incapacitation of one of its pilots. The incident occurred on Thursday, July 23, 2026 and prompted an unexpected diversion to Milan so the plane could make an emergency landing for the incapacitated pilot to receive medical attention.
Pilot taken ill unexpectedly
An aircraft flying from Palma de Mallorca, Spain (PMI) to Warsaw, Poland (WAW) was unexpectedly halted in its journey after one of the pilots became unwell and reportedly lost consciousness in the plane’s cockpit.
The flight was being operated by LOT Polish Airlines, the flagship carrier of Poland and one of Europe’s oldest airlines still in operation. The aircraft was a Boeing 737 and was expected to arrive in Warsaw around 6:30 a.m. (CET), around two and a half hours after it departed from Palma de Mallorca. The flight required diversion after the incident, which occurred around an hour into the journey.
Reports suggest that one of the pilots on the flight suddenly became incapacitated whilst operating the flight. His fellow co-pilot was forced to reroute the plane in order to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport for medical assistance. At the time of the incident, the plane had reached 35,000 feet, according to data from AirNav Radar. The second pilot requested priority landing at Malpensa Airport in Milan (MXP). They also requested the aircraft be met with medical assistance upon landing in northern Italy.
Unexpected chaos for Warsaw-bound passengers
Following the incident, the plane made an emergency landing in Milan around 4:30 a.m. (CET) where medical responders promptly met the aircraft. Five paramedics, three ambulances and two medical vehicles reportedly were dispatched to the Boeing 737.
The unwell pilot received immediate medical attention and was able to be assessed and treated on the scene, where no major medical treatment was deemed necessary. No further passenger injuries were reported.
Krzysztof Moczulski, a spokesperson for LOT Polish Airlines, confirmed some details of the incident:
“The plane was diverted to Milan for medical reasons. Due to the illness of a crew member, the captain requested medical assistance.”
Following the unexpected diversion to Milan, passengers on the flight faced a lengthy delay as they waited to continue their journey to the Polish capital, Warsaw. Eventually, travellers were able to reboard the plane around 11:00 a.m. (CET) and continue their journey. In total, they faced a delay of around six and a half hours after being grounded for around seven hours in Milan due to the incident.
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