An Indonesian plane briefly veered off course after its two pilots fell asleep in mid-air. According to reports, the incident occurred on a Batik Air flight carrying 153 passengers. Thankfully, one of the pilots woke up and the plane landed safely without any injuries to the passengers and crew. They have been temporarily suspended.
About half an hour into the flight, one of the pilots reportedly asked the first officer to take over the plane and take a break. British Broadcasting Corporation. However, the co-pilot eventually fell asleep as well. Meanwhile, Jakarta air traffic control tried to contact the cockpit but received no response.
This communication silence lasted for nearly 28 minutes. The incident was discovered when the first pilot woke up and noticed the plane was off course. He quickly took control of the situation.
“The pilot-in-command (PIC) then saw the first-in-command (SIC) sleeping and woke him up. Around the same time, the captain received a call from the other pilot and ACC Jakarta. The PIC advised ACC Jakarta, BTK6723 experienced a radio communication problem, which has been resolved. The flight then continued and landed safely in Jakarta. No one was injured in this incident and the aircraft was not damaged.” National Transportation Safety Board stated in a report.
According to KNKT, the co-pilot was tired from helping his wife take care of their newborn twin babies. Both pilots underwent medical examinations before boarding the flight. Their blood pressure was normal and they tested negative for alcohol. After testing, they were “deemed fit for flight missions.”
Authorities have temporarily grounded the pilot and “strongly condemned” Batik Air, the BBC reported. The airline said it “operates under an adequate rest policy” and is “committed to implementing all safety recommendations”.