Pilot’s ‘medical issue’ on Air Canada flight forces diversion

Published June 24, 2026 at 6:52 pm

Last Updated June 24, 2026 at 7:41 pm

An Air Canada plane takes off from Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Travellers, business groups and politicians expressed fervent relief on Sunday after Air Canada and the union representing thousands of its pilots negotiated a new labour deal and averted a disruptive, countrywide shutdown. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Air Canada says a pilot on a flight from Newark, N.J., to Halifax experienced a “medical issue” and the flight had to be diverted to Boston.

A statement from the airline says flight AC7664 was being operated by regional partner PAL Airlines on Wednesday afternoon when the captain experienced the issue and was removed from the flight deck in accordance with safety protocols.

It says the first officer took control of the aircraft and diverted the flight to Boston, where it landed safely with 61 passengers onboard.

Air Canada says the captain was taken for medical treatment in Boston and work was underway to provide the affected customers with travel arrangements.

An online flight tracker shows the plane departed from Newark at 12:55 p.m. EDT and landed in Boston about an hour later, with altitude beginning to drop about 30 minutes after takeoff.

The flight from Newark to Halifax is normally 2 hours and 15 minutes.