Copilot convulses and Azul flight makes emergency landing in Viracopos
The co-pilot of Azul airline flight AD2966, from Curitiba to Viracopos, in Campinas (SP), needed medical attention after showing signs of a seizure last Wednesday night (3), requiring the plane to make an emergency landing.
The professional received medical care while still on the aircraft, from a doctor who was on board the flight at the time of the incident.
In a statement, Azul claimed that the flight continued normally and landed safely at Viracopos airport.
Viracopos International Airport informed CNN Brasil that the landing strip was reserved at 9:27 pm for airport teams to respond to the incident and the aircraft landed at 9:38 pm without any major complications.
After the medical team managed to access the interior of the plane, they concluded that the co-pilot was stable. However, he was taken to the airport clinic for medical evaluation.
The crew member was released the same night after medical care.
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Mental health of Brazilian pilots
Crew fatigue causes mental health problems, according to an internal survey by the category's union, carried out in 2024. Around 95% of those interviewed already felt tired and did not notify the airlines; at least 73% do not feel comfortable making the report and more than half (57.63%) reported having slept on duty for a few seconds. The survey interviewed 4,359 professionals, including pilots and flight attendants.
Pilot fatigue occurs amid the growth of national aviation. The country broke the air transport record with 130 million passengers in 2025, for the first time surpassing pre-pandemic numbers.
In the 2026 carnival alone, there were more than 2.1 million passengers, a 10% increase compared to the same period last year. It's the industry's best performance for the holiday in the last 25 years.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), burnout is conceived as resulting from chronic stress in the workplace that has not been successfully managed. The syndrome is characterized by three dimensions, namely: feeling of exhaustion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from work and reduced professional effectiveness.
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Anac has a deadline to define a standard on pilot fatigue
The MPT (Public Ministry of Labor) issued a procedure in May this year that gives a 30-day deadline for Anac (National Aviation Agency) to review the standard on controlling fatigue among pilots in Brazilian aviation.
The request also provokes the sector's employers' unions to present a position on the use of psychoactive substances by crew members.
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*With information from Thiago Félix
Source: CNN