The Newark-to-Halifax flight landed safely in Boston after the first officer took control.
BOSTON, MA — Passengers who helped restrain an Air Canada captain during a midair medical emergency said Thursday that they acted after the plane swerved and a flight attendant pulled the pilot from the cockpit.
Flight AC7664, operated by regional partner PAL Airlines, was traveling Wednesday from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Halifax, Nova Scotia, when Air Canada said the captain experienced a medical issue. The aircraft, a De Havilland Q400, carried 61 passengers. The first officer took control and diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where the plane landed safely and emergency crews met it.
Passenger Rodney McDonald, who was traveling with his wife and two sons, said the first sign of trouble was a sudden movement that did not feel like rough air. “The moment the plane swerved, I knew something was wrong because it was not turbulence,” McDonald said. He said the aircraft moved sharply more than once, leaving passengers scared as the crew responded. McDonald said his family began praying as the flight attendants moved quickly near the front of the cabin. Moments later, he said, a flight attendant entered the cockpit and then brought one of the pilots into the aisle.
McDonald said the captain appeared to be having a seizure, though Air Canada has described the event only as a medical issue and has not released the pilot’s name, age or condition. McDonald said he and about four other passengers helped restrain the captain for about 40 minutes while the first officer flew the aircraft toward Boston. “It was really horrifying,” he said. He said the pilot was not violent but was not in control of his body. The passengers used seat belts to hold the pilot’s arms, legs and chest, McDonald said. A registered nurse on board helped direct the response and assist the captain, according to passenger accounts.
Air Canada said the captain was removed from the flight deck under safety protocols after the medical issue began. The airline said the first officer then took control of the aircraft and diverted the flight to Boston. “Pilots are trained to fly aircraft and land safely without the assistance of a second pilot,” Air Canada said. The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight landed safely at Boston Logan around 2 p.m. local time after the crew reported a pilot medical emergency. Massachusetts State Police said the aircraft was being flown by the co-pilot and that a crew member had a medical emergency.
The flight had taken off from Newark shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday for what is normally a flight of a little more than two hours to Halifax. Flight tracking and local reports showed the plane began descending about 30 minutes after takeoff. Air traffic audio from the airport included warnings that runway 27 could be unavailable because of an inbound emergency aircraft. Emergency crews from Massport Fire Rescue and Boston EMS responded after the landing. State police said the pilot was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital. No injuries to passengers were reported.
The emergency unfolded in the tight cabin of a twin-turboprop aircraft, where passengers said there was little room to separate the pilot from seats and aisle traffic. McDonald said he had been seated away from his family at first, then moved back toward them before realizing the pilot needed help. He said the effort to keep the pilot still was strenuous and lasted through the diversion. Other passengers stayed seated while crew members worked with those assisting near the aisle. The captain appeared to become more aware around the time of the emergency landing, passengers said, but officials have not confirmed the nature of the medical episode.
The diversion shifted the flight’s destination from Halifax to Boston and triggered a response from airport, medical and law enforcement personnel. Air Canada said it was working to make travel arrangements for affected customers after the landing. Local reports said passengers were later scheduled to continue to Halifax on another leg from Boston. The airline has not said whether the captain remained hospitalized Thursday or whether aviation safety officials will issue a fuller report. The FAA confirmed the medical diversion but did not announce any enforcement action.
McDonald praised the crew and the nurse who helped guide the cabin response. He said the flight attendants remained calm while handling a fast-moving emergency that passengers did not understand at first. “Every thought goes through your mind,” he said, describing the moment the plane began swerving. For the passengers, the clearest turning point came when the first officer stabilized the flight and headed for Boston, while those in the cabin tried to keep the captain from hurting himself or others in the narrow aisle.
The flight landed safely Wednesday afternoon, and the captain was taken for medical treatment in Boston. Air Canada had not released further details on the pilot’s condition as of Thursday, June 25.
Author note: Last updated June 25, 2026.