The captain of a United Airlines plane who suffered an in-flight heart attack has died, an airline spokeswoman said, according to Reuters.
A Seattle-bound United flight 1603, was forced to make an emergency landing after Capt. Henry Skillern, 63, suffered a heart attack.
The plane landed safely and Skillern was rushed to a local hospital, according to Boise Airport spokeswoman Patti Miller.
"I am sad to confirm that our co-worker passed away last night," said Miller, according to Reuters. "Our thoughts are with his family at this time."
Skillern died as a result of the medical emergency, said United spokeswoman Christen David.
The incident could re-spark the debate over FAA age restrictions for airline pilots.
Back in 2007, mandatory pilot retirement age was raised from 60 to 65. When the age was raised, just five pilots between the ages of 48-57 had died in-flight since 1994 when the FAA started following the statistic, according to CNN.
"Foreign airlines have demonstrated that experienced pilots in good health can fly beyond age 60 without compromising safety," she said.
FAA regulations require a medical examination every year for airline pilots under age 40 and every six months for those over age 40.
Related Articles:
Killer Hornets: 19 People Stung to Death in China, Over 500 Injured Since July
Mumbai Building Collapse Leaves 13 Dead, Dozens Trapped (VIDEO)
Punishments Handed Out to Nine Companies Who Fixed Prices of Car Parts
September Car Sales May Drop After 27-Month Sales Gain Streak
See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?
