Displaying courage, pilot lands plane safely despite suffering heart attack mid-air

Displaying immense grit, a Cuban pilot of IndiGo, despite suffering a massive cardiac arrest mid flight, landed the plane safely at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata.

Captain Silvio Diaz Acosta, 63, was about to land his flight from Imphal to

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata when he

complained of acute chest pain to his co-pilot and began sweating

profusely, as reported by News18. He and his co-pilot did not panic; instead used their alertness and skills to ensure that the situation stays under control, and ensured the flight landed safely.

He was immediately taken to the emergency medical unit in the airport. He was referred to a hospital in Charnock after being diagnosed with a cardiac arrest and a severely blocked artery.

“His condition was serious and he was immediately taken to the emergency ward. Electrocardiography (ECG) was done, wherein we found Myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack,” said cardiologist Dr Satrajit Samanta.

Further, the cardiologist attending to Acosta said that during the operation he suffered from Ventricular Tachycardia (a heart rhythm disorder) and had to be given electric shocks twice to be resuscitated.

"I have never witnessed such an incident. The fact that the cardiac arrest happened midair and he still landed the flight safely is a miracle. He is fine and out of danger, but we have kept him under strict observation. Today, his family members will reach India from Havana. Hopefully, he will be discharged in two-three days,” said Dr Samanta.