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Watch: Passenger lands small plane at Florida airport after pilot has apparent medical issue

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A passenger is being hailed as a hero after Air Traffic Control helped him successfully land a small plane when the pilot became “incoherent,” multiple news outlets are reporting.

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According to WPBF and CNN, the incident occurred about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday off the South Florida coast. The Federal Aviation Administration said two people were on board a Cessna 208 Caravan when the pilot apparently experienced a medical issue, the news outlets reported.

The passenger sprang into action, contacting Air Traffic Control in Fort Pierce to report a “serious situation” and describing the pilot as “incoherent,” WPBF reported.

“I have no idea how to fly the airplane,” he said, adding that he couldn’t get the navigation screen to work.

Air Traffic Control instructed the passenger to continue flying along the coast while they attempted to find the aircraft on the radar, according to WPBF. About four minutes later, they located the plane over the waters off Boca Raton, the news station reported.

Air Traffic Control at Palm Beach International Airport then stepped in, calmly giving the passenger step-by-step instructions on how to land the plane safely, WPBF reported.

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After the plane touched down, an air traffic controller said, “Kudos to that new pilot,” according to WPTV.

One person was treated at a nearby hospital following the incident, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said. Authorities have not released any further details, such as the names of the people on board, WPTV reported.

The FAA has opened an investigation, according to the news outlets.