BOSTON — The pilot at the controls of flight AC7664 yesterday afternoon suffered what one passenger speculated could have been a seizure, resulting in the EWR-YHZ flight diverting to Boston.

Air Canada said the pilot experienced a medical issue and was removed from the flight deck in accordance with safety protocols. The De Havilland Q400 flight was bound for Halifax from Newark and was operated by regional partner PAL Airlines.

The first officer took control of the aircraft and landed it without issue at BOS. There were 61 passengers onboard.

One passenger told the New York Post that the aircraft started swerving violently, noting it felt like someone had jilted the controls. The pilot was reportedly pulled from the cockpit by a flight attendant and then restrained.

Controllers in air traffic audio recordings from Logan International Airport were heard warning other pilots that runway 27 would be out of commission due to “an inbound emergency” at 1:35 p.m.

The controller told another arriving aircraft to be aware that the runway may be out of commission due to the emergency aircraft, which “may have an issue getting off the runway” once they land.

A spokeswoman for Boston Logan International Airport said in an email that the Air Canada plane landed without incident, and “Massport Fire Rescue and Boston EMS responded to the crew as necessary.”

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

With file from The Canadian Press

Lead image caption: An Air Canada plane takes off from Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Sept. 13, 2024 (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi)