Dtwo pilots fell asleep and missed landing on a flight from Sudan to Ethiopia. The incident took place on board an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 bound for Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, according to the New Zealand Herald. Data obtained by the site indicates that the plane was flying on autopilot more than 11,000 meters above the ground when it was due to land at Bole International Airport, its intended destination.
Air traffic controllers were apparently unable to reach the crew, despite several attempts. An alert was triggered when the aircraft continued on its way. An alarm that woke up the two pilots, details the daily. They took over the controls of the plane which was able to land safely about 25 minutes later.
“Chronic fatigue” among pilots
The incident comes just months after unions issued a warning to airline executives about pilot burnout, a phenomenon that is believed to be on the rise. Recently, the Alter union sounded the alarm about the risk of “chronic fatigue” among Air France pilots, which can affect flight safety.
READ ALSOFatigue of Air France pilots: what the figures say
The resumption of air traffic after the Covid-19 pandemic, the increase in demand and the cascading cancellations caused by difficult weather conditions would explain the increase in pilot exhaustion. 10% of Air France pilots are in depression, according to the Alter union.