By Chantal Da Silva -
NBC News
A passenger managed to land a small plane in Florida on Tuesday when the pilot began to act "incoherently" due to a medical emergency, following instructions from the control tower.
The Cessna 208 plane touched down safely at Palm Beach International Airport around 12:30 p.m., local station WPTV, an NBC News affiliate, reported.
In the recording of the passenger's call (who was not identified by authorities) to air traffic control in Fort Pierce, he is heard warning:
"I have a serious situation here
. "
“The pilot has become incoherent.
I have no idea how to fly the plane,” adds the passenger.
"It is understood.
What is your position?", responds the control tower.
"I have no idea," says the passenger, "I can see the Florida coastline in front of me and I have no idea."
A view of the shoreline near Palm Beach International Airport, where the passenger had to make an emergency landing.UCG / UCG/Universal Images Group via G
The control tower operator then told him to "keep your wings level" and to "just try to follow the coast, either north or south" while relief crews tried to locate the plane.
Through instructions received from the control tower, the passenger managed to land the plane.
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"I'm telling you, he did a great job," someone can be heard saying in a recording of another call from air traffic control about what happened. "Did you say a passenger landed the plane?"
asks a person on the other end of the line.
"Oh my gosh, well done," she says.
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The passenger "had no flight experience", it is indicated in the aforementioned conversation, in which it is also mentioned that the controller who helped him was a flight instructor.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reported that one person was taken to the hospital in connection with the incident, according to WPTV.
No information was released about the individual's condition or identity, or whether he was the pilot of the plane.
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NBC News has contacted the sheriff's office for further comment.
The FAA is investigating the incident.