Milan, Italy: A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX operating from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, to Warsaw, Poland, was diverted to Milan Malpensa early Thursday, July 23, after a pilot reportedly became incapacitated in flight.
The aircraft was operating LOT flight LO6212 from Palma de Mallorca to Warsaw. The aircraft, registered SP-LVO, was cruising at approximately Flight Level 360 when the flight crew decided to divert to Milan after the captain reportedly became incapacitated. The aircraft subsequently landed safely on Runway 35R at Milan Malpensa, with the diversion understood to have taken place shortly after 4 a.m. local time.
The emergency response was activated at around 4:05 a.m., after the commander suffered a medical problem. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 landed at Malpensa at approximately 4:30 a.m., with ambulances, medical vehicles and firefighters dispatched to meet the aircraft. Reports said one of the pilots had reportedly fainted or lost consciousness in the cockpit shortly after takeoff. The aircraft had been in the air for less than an hour when it diverted to Milan and emergency responders included five paramedics, three ambulances and two medical vehicles. The affected pilot was reportedly assessed by medical personnel and did not require major medical treatment. No passenger injuries were reported.
LOT Polish Airlines spokesperson Krzysztof Moczulski confirmed that the aircraft was diverted to Milan for medical reasons, the captain requested medical assistance because of the illness of a crew member. The airline did not publicly disclose the exact medical condition or identify precisely which crew member had fallen ill.
Following the diversion, the aircraft remained at Milan Malpensa for several hours. A new crew was sent to Milan, after which passengers continued their journey to Warsaw on the same Boeing 737 MAX 8. The flight reportedly departed Malpensa shortly after 11 a.m., with passengers continuing onward after the unexpected stop.
The aircraft eventually continued to Warsaw after spending approximately seven hours on the ground, arriving with a delay of around six and a half hours.
The incident triggered an immediate emergency response at Milan Malpensa, but the aircraft landed safely and there were no reported injuries among passengers. The precise nature of the crew member’s medical problem has not been disclosed publicly, and no further details about the affected crew member’s condition were provided in the available reports.
