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Batik Air pilots fall asleep mid-air with 153 passengers on board
The flight briefly veered off course after both pilots fell asleep mid-air and lost contact with the traffic control.
A plane in Indonesian briefly veered off its course after both pilots fell asleep mid-air. As per reports, the incident occurred on a Batik Air flight with 153 passengers on board. Thankfully, the plane landed safely with the passengers and crew unharmed after one of the pilots woke up. They have been temporarily suspended.
About half an hour into the flight, one of the pilots asked his co-pilot to take control of the aircraft to get some rest, reported the BBC. However, the co-pilot, too, ended up falling asleep. In the meantime, Jakarta air traffic control tried contacting the cockpit but received no response.
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This silence in communication lasted for nearly 28 minutes. The incident was discovered when the first pilot woke to find the plane had veered off course. He quickly took control of the situation.
"The pilot-in-command (PIC) then saw the second-in-command (SIC) was sleeping and woke him up. At about the same time, the PIC responded to the call from another pilot and Jakarta ACC. The PIC advised the Jakarta ACC that BTK6723 experienced radio communication problem and currently the problem has been resolved. The flight then continued and landed at Jakarta uneventfully. No one was injured in this occurrence and there was no damage to the aircraft," the National Transportation Safety Committee stated in a report.
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According to the KNKT report, the co-pilot was tired from assisting his wife to care for his newborn twin babies. Both pilots underwent medical tests before boarding the aircraft. They had normal blood pressure and tested negative for alcohol. They were "considered fit for the flight duty" after the tests.
Authorities have temporarily suspended the pilots and have "strongly reprimanded" Batik Air, reported the BBC. The airline said it "operates with an adequate rest policy" and is "committed to implementing all safety recommendations".
