Ryanair 737-800 Diverts to Cluj After First Officer Becomes Incapacitated

A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 en route from Milan Bergamo, Italy, to Cluj, Romania, was forced to declare an emergency after the first officer became incapacitated during descent on November 3, 2025. The aircraft, registered EI-DPJ, was operating flight FR2682 when the captain initially issued a PAN-PAN call before escalating to a Mayday as the situation worsened.

The aircraft landed safely on runway 25 at Cluj Avram Iancu International Airport, where emergency services were on standby. Upon landing, the aircraft came to a stop on the runway while medical teams boarded to assist the unconscious first officer, who was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. No injuries were reported among passengers or cabin crew.

After approximately 50 minutes on the runway, the aircraft was towed to the apron for inspection and remained grounded in Cluj for around 17 hours. Ryanair later dispatched a replacement aircraft, another Boeing 737-800 registered EI-EPB, to operate the return leg to Milan, departing with a delay of about three hours.

The incapacitation of a flight crew member is a rare but serious in-flight emergency that triggers standard airline safety protocols. Ryanair’s flight operations team and local medical authorities are investigating the incident in line with European aviation safety procedures.

Following maintenance checks and operational clearance, the affected aircraft was repositioned to Bucharest Otopeni Airport the following day.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, avherald.com