A co-pilot’s sudden mid-flight medical crisis forced a Swiss Airbus A350 to declare an air emergency over Central Asia — leaving 227 passengers stranded in Kazakhstan for more than 36 hours.
A Swiss International Air Lines co-pilot was hospitalized in Kazakhstan on Wednesday after a mid-flight medical emergency forced the Seoul-to-Zurich Airbus A350 to divert, stranding 227 passengers for more than 36 hours.
The aircraft remained on the ground in Almaty for more than a day after landing even though two other captains were on board — the result of aviation qualification rules requiring a pilot specifically trained to operate from the co-pilot’s right-hand seat, compounded by crew duty-time limits that would have been exceeded before the plane could reach Zurich.
Flight LX123 departed Incheon International Airport in Seoul just before 10 a.m. local time on a scheduled 13-hour flight to Zurich. About six hours into the flight, the Airbus A350-900 made a sharp turn south over Kazakhstan’s Karaganda region, deviating abruptly from its planned course.
The aircraft activated transponder code 7700 — the internationally recognized signal for a general air emergency — which tracking service Flightradar24 immediately detected. Air traffic controllers cleared the flight’s path, and the plane began its approach to Almaty International Airport, touching down at approximately 12:45 p.m. local time.
Swiss said three doctors on board stepped forward to assist the stricken crew member. “Fortunately, there were three doctors on board who were able to provide medical assistance,” the airline said in a statement. “Based also on the recommendation of the doctors, the crew decided to divert the flight to Almaty so that the pilot could receive the necessary medical care as quickly as possible.”
The co-pilot was taken to a hospital in Almaty immediately upon landing, accompanied by another crew member, the airline said. Swiss did not disclose the nature of the medical emergency. It later said it was “relieved and very happy that he is well.”
Despite having two additional captains on board, Swiss said the flight could not continue, citing “regulatory and safety-related reasons.” Both pilots are captains, and aviation rules require a pilot specifically trained to operate from the co-pilot’s right-hand seat — a distinct qualification from that of a commander in the left seat. Continuing the flight would also have pushed the remaining crew past their legally prescribed maximum duty hours before the plane reached Zurich.
The airline confirmed it would dispatch a replacement pilot from Zurich to Almaty and provided hotel accommodations for all 227 passengers and 14 crew members during the extended stopover.
“We fully understand that the unscheduled landing in Almaty and the necessary stay there are causing inconvenience to our guests and affecting their travel plans. We sincerely regret this,” Swiss said. “At the same time, we kindly ask for understanding that the health and wellbeing of our colleague are the top priority in this situation.”
“Our teams are doing everything possible to support all those affected during this extraordinary situation. They are proactively informing our guests about the next steps,” the airline added.
Once the replacement pilot arrived and the crew had completed the required rest period, the flight resumed under a new designation, LX7123, departing Almaty at 1:45 a.m. local time. The aircraft landed safely at Zurich Airport at 6:45 a.m. on Friday, May 8.
Of the 227 original passengers, 221 completed the journey on the recovery flight; six had arranged their own onward travel from Almaty. The co-pilot, along with another crew member, remained in Kazakhstan. Swiss said it was in close contact with its colleague and expressed relief that he was in good health.
Swiss acknowledged the significant impact on passengers’ travel plans and thanked its staff and Lufthansa Group employees in Almaty for their support throughout the incident.
Key Takeaways
- Swiss International Air Lines flight LX123 diverted from its Seoul-to-Zurich route to Almaty, Kazakhstan, on May 6 after the co-pilot experienced a mid-flight medical emergency.
- The Airbus A350-900 squawked transponder code 7700 — the international general emergency signal — before landing safely in Almaty at approximately 12:45 p.m. local time.
- Three doctors on board assisted the co-pilot, who was immediately taken to a local hospital upon landing and later reported to be in good health.
- Aviation qualification rules barring the remaining captains from flying the co-pilot’s right-hand seat, combined with crew duty-time limits, kept the aircraft grounded in Almaty for more than 36 hours.
- Recovery flight LX7123 landed in Zurich on May 8; 221 of the original 227 passengers completed the journey, and the co-pilot remained in Kazakhstan under the airline’s care.