Unexpectedly, passengers with no flight experience still landed ‘smoothly’

An audio recording of the incident has been released, where an unidentified passenger can be heard calling for help over the radio. Speaking to air traffic controllers, the passenger said: “I’m in a serious situation. Our pilot is delirious, and I don’t know how to fly the plane.”

Local TV channel WPBF 25 News posted impressive footage of the small plane landing safely at the airport.

ABC News, the first news site to have audio recordings of the incident, said it was a Cessna 208 Caravan turboprop aircraft.

In the recording, the air traffic controller can be heard saying, “Hold on to the wing of the plane and try to follow the coast, north or south. We’re trying to locate the plane. friend”.

It is known that several people saw the plane off the coast of Boca Raton.

Air traffic controller Robert Morgan told reporters he printed out the plane’s cockpit layout to guide passengers to a safe landing.

Speaking after the incident, Mr Morgan said: “I knew I had to keep him calm, show him how to approach the runway and how to lower altitude to land.”

Mr. Morgan, with over 20 years of experience as an air traffic controller, did an excellent job.

That day, during lunch break, a colleague ran up to him and said: “There is a problem with the plane. The pilot is unconscious and a passenger wants you to help them try to land the plane.”

Although Morgan is also a seasoned flight instructor, he has never flown such a plane.

He said: “The passenger said just passed the beach near Boca. And so I directed him to the runway. I have to admit that he has a very good taste in flying.”

Miraculously, the plane came to a stop safely.

When it was all over, the passenger and Mr. Morgan hugged each other while on the ground.

Speaking after the incident, Mr Morgan said of the guest: “He told me he couldn’t wait to go home and hug his pregnant wife.”

It is not clear why the original pilot had health problems. Authorities are still investigating the case.

Meanwhile, Mr. Morgan said he was happy to help. Speaking to CNN, he said: “In my eyes, that guest is the hero. And I’m just doing my job.”