Tragedy struck a LATAM Airlines flight from Miami, U.S. to Chile as the airline pilot, Captain Ivan Andaur, collapsed and ultimately succumbed to a medical emergency. With 271 passengers on board, the flight was en route to Santiago, Chile when the distressing incident unfolded.
Captain Andaur, a seasoned pilot with 25 years of experience, began experiencing health issues roughly three hours into the flight. The flight, numbered LA505, was being operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The aircraft had a relief captain and first officer onboard to support the crew.
As the pilot’s condition deteriorated, he collapsed in the aircraft’s bathroom. The flight crew acted promptly, administering emergency treatment to Captain Andaur. The seriousness of the situation necessitated an immediate change in course. The plane diverted to Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport, a process that took approximately 30 minutes.
Despite the efforts of both the airline crew and passengers with medical expertise, the pilot’s life could not be saved. Upon landing at the diversion point, first responders declared Captain Ivan Andaur deceased.
Isadora, a registered nurse who was among those onboard, recounted the efforts made to revive the pilot. Alongside another nurse and two doctors, she worked tirelessly to address the symptoms of cardiac arrest that Captain Andaur was experiencing.
