In a bizarre mid-air incident that sounds straight out of a movie, two Indonesian pilots dozed off for nearly 30 minutes while on duty. There were catching Z’s mid-flight, as per a startling revelation, which prompted an urgent investigation.
The incident occurred aboard a Batik Air flight en route from South East Sulawesi to Jakarta on January 25, as disclosed in a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).
According to the report, both the pilot and co-pilot were simultaneously asleep for approximately 28 minutes.
Their dangerous snooze session took place in the Airbus A320 flight. However, what is truly fortunate was that the total of 153 passengers and four flight attendants, who were on the flight that day, emerged from the ordeal unharmed as the flight averted a tragedy even as it did have a series of navigation errors.
Notably, the flight lasted two hours and 35 minutes.
Maria Kristi Endah Murni, the air transport director general, issued a stern rebuke to Batik Air over the incident. She urged airlines to keep a closer eye on their crew’s nap schedules and also highlighted the importance of well-rested pilots and aircrew.
“We will carry out an investigation and review of the night flight operation in Indonesia related to fatigue risk management for Batik Air and all flight operators,” Kristi added.
Meanwhile, Batik Air also released a statement. The airlines asserted their commitment to safety. Batik Air assured that they operate with a proper rest policy and are dedicated to implementing all safety recommendations.
The pilots involved in this airborne siesta were temporarily grounded as the investigation is currently awaiting so that the complete details of the incident can be known.
Pilot, co-pilot sleep mid-flight
The KNKT report highlighted that one of the pilots had not rested adequately the night before the flight. Reports said that about 90 minutes into the flight, the captain requested permission from the co-pilot to rest. When the sleep-deprived pilot fell asleep, the co-pilot also dozed off, leading to a situation that could have proven extremely perilous.
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“The second-in-command had one-month-old twin babies. His wife took care of the babies and he assisted while at home,” the report revealed. The co-pilot had sent a last message to the ground control centre and after a couple of minutes from that, the centre tried to contact the jet. However, it did not receive any response.
The sleep-deprived pilot woke up after 28 minutes of slumber only to find out that his co-pilot has been dozing off too and the plane was veering off course.
Notably, the co-pilot had on newborn twins, which is was reportedly let to the unexpected in-flight siesta. “The second-in-command had one-month-old twin babies. His wife took care of the babies and he assisted while at home,” the report said.
The pilot woke up his co-pilot and steered the aircraft back on track, ensuring a safe landing.
Despite the terrifying ordeal, the plane eventually landed safely after corrective actions were taken. While the pilots involved were not identified, KNKT stressed the importance of regular cockpit checks and ensuring that all crew members are adequately rested before flights.
(With inputs from agencies)
