Pilot on flight from Miami to Chile dies after mid-flight medical emergency

FILE PHOTO: SANTIAGO, CHILE - JANUARY 28: Airport workers unload a vaccine container from a Latam Airlines plane during the arrival of around 1.92 million of CoronaVac vaccine doses of the SINOVAC laboratory from Beijing, China, at Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport on January 28, 2021 in Santiago, Chile. Chilean Institute of Public Health approved the emergency use of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine for adults between 18 and 59 years old. (Photo by Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images) (Marcelo Hernandez, 2021 Getty Images)

MIAMI – A flight from Miami International Airport to Chile’s capital diverted to Panama City Monday after one of its pilots suffered a mid-flight medical emergency and later died.

LATAM Airlines Flight 505, from Miami to Santiago, diverted to Tocumen International Airport to seek treatment for the pilot, but the pilot died after landing in Panama, the airline said.

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“LATAM Group is deeply saddened by this event and takes this opportunity to express our most sincere condolences to the family of our employee,” the airline said in a statement. “We are thankful for his 25 years of service to LATAM, distinguished by his dedication, professionalism and enthusiasm.”

The airline did not name the pilot.

“With regards to our passengers, LATAM regrets the inconveniences that resulted from this unforeseen event,” the airline said.

The flight later took off from Panama City and landed in Santiago Tuesday.


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Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist.

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