Co-Pilot Tells Pilot He’s Afraid Of Heights

A co-pilot on a passenger jet broke into a sweat and told the pilot he was afraid of heights, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing, according to an official report.

The Air Accident Investigations Branch reported Wednesday that the Maersk airlines BAC 1-11 jet was flying from Birmingham, England, to Milan, Italy, on May 9 with 49 passengers aboard.

The co-pilot, who had been flying professionally since 1989, informed the pilot that he was “frightened of the altitude” as the aircraft passed over Moulins, France, the report said.

The co-pilot continued “to show symptoms of anxiety and stress” and refused oxygen, so the pilot chose to make an emergency landing in Lyon.

The co-pilot was suspended from duty, failed subsequent medical tests and has since left the airline. Maersk is a British Airlines franchisee.