Captain Dies Midflight
A Continental Airlines flight from Brussels has landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport after the plane's captain died mid-flight Thursday morning, CBS 2 has learned.
Federal Aviation Administration officials say Continental Flight 61, a Boeing 777 with 247 passengers on board, landed at Newark at 11:49 a.m. Newark was the flight's final destination. The plane departed Brussels at 9:45 a.m., and the captain died about three to four hours into the flight. A doctor on board pronounced the pilot dead.
Continental officials tell CBS 2 the 61-year-old pilot died of natural causes. His identity has not yet been released, but officials say he worked for the company for 21 years and was based out of Newark.
"The company has been in touch with his family and we extend our deepest sympathies," the airline said in a statement. "The crew on this flight included an additional relief pilot who took the place of the deceased pilot. The flight continued safely with two pilots at the controls."
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