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Scandinavian Airlines flight diverts to Brussels after pilot falls ill mid-flight

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Scandinavian Airlines flight diverts to Brussels after pilot falls ill mid-flight
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Scandinavian Airlines | Official Website

A Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight traveling from Oslo to Alicante was forced to divert to Brussels on August 3, 2025, after a pilot became incapacitated during the journey. The Airbus A320-200, registered as OY-KAU and 18 years old, was operating flight SK4671 with a scheduled departure from Oslo Gardermoen Airport at 16:10 and an expected arrival in Alicante at 20:00.

According to flight tracking data, the aircraft departed Oslo at 16:18. While cruising at approximately 39,000 feet and about 30 nautical miles southwest of Brussels, one of the pilots reportedly became unwell. This prompted an immediate diversion to Brussels Airport, where the plane landed safely on runway 25R around 18:08 local time—about one hour and fifty minutes after leaving Oslo.

Passengers experienced significant delays as a relief crew had to be flown in to continue the journey. The replacement crew arrived on a separate SAS flight that landed nearly ninety minutes late in Brussels at 22:21. As a result, the original aircraft did not depart for Alicante until 23:52 and ultimately arrived five hours and forty minutes behind schedule at 01:40 the following morning. The return leg of the flight was canceled due to these disruptions.

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A spokesperson for SAS commented on the incident, stating: "One of the pilots on flight SK4671 felt unwell yesterday, and the aircraft was diverted as a precaution. Safety is, as always, our top priority. Passengers continued their journey within a few hours."

Unlike diversions caused by technical issues—which often keep aircraft grounded for extended periods—the plane involved resumed service promptly since there were no mechanical faults reported. Flight tracking indicated that it was repositioning from Alicante back to Oslo later that day.

The A320-200 involved began its operational life with Indian carrier IndiGo in September 2007 before joining SAS in October 2013 under its current registration OY-KAU.

SAS operates as a full-service carrier and is part of Star Alliance. Its main hubs include Copenhagen Airport, Oslo Gardermoen Airport, and Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The airline is led by CEO Anko van der Werff.

Organizations Included in this History
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