Envoy Air says pilot reported incapacitated in flight has died

The Envoy Air flight returned to Chicago after the pilot became incapacitated and subsequently died shortly after taking off Saturday night, the airline said Tuesday.

“Despite heroic efforts by passengers and first responders on the ground, our colleague died in hospital,” Envoy Air said. american airlines, said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened and are doing everything we can to support his family and colleagues at this time.

Capt. Rick Wilson, Envoy’s vice president of flight operations, said in a memo to staff that the pilot was a captain in training.

The envoy did not comment on the cause of the medical emergency.The Airline Pilots Association, which represents Envoy’s pilots, did not comment.

Envoy Air Flight 3556, Embraer E175, flying to parent company american airlinesAmerican Eagle returned to Chicago O’Hare International Airport at 7:57 p.m. local time, 37 minutes after departing for Columbus, Ohio, according to FlightRadar24.

According to ATCLive, which has archives on its website, audio recordings of messages to air traffic controllers show that “the captain is incapacitated.” “We’re going to need paramedics,” said the person on the recording, believed to be another pilot.

A commercial jet airliner has a minimum of two pilots on board.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating, and a spokeswoman said such incidents were rare.