Continental Airlines captain dies in flight (breaking on MSNBC)

No link or story yet. As they were going to break, Carlos Watson announced the headline, above. The only added detail is that the plane is close to landing at Newark, NJ.

They won't announce the flight number or where in Europe it is coming from since the pilot's family doesn't know yet.

:(

and may have been called already.. They should have said nothing until the plane landed. It's in no danger..

There was another first officer deadheading (poor choice of words in view of the story) and he is now in the cockpit, so there is more than enough skill/experience in the cockpit.

The plane will get priority for landing when it gets to Newark.

The media actually got something right...

Deadheading is the proper term, indeed.

Seriously, how creepy - and close to impossible to concentrate - would it be ?? :(

If it's a long enough flight, he goes in luggage. The point is, get the corpse away from business class.

NEWARK, New Jersey (BNO NEWS) -- Continental Airlines flight 61 from Brussels, Belgium to Newark, New Jersey has declared an emergency after the pilot died in-flight, FAA officials tell BNO News.

The aircraft involved is a Boeing 777. "It is reported that the captain of the aircraft passed away," a spokeswoman for the FAA said. She said two first officers are now piloting the aircraft until it will land in Newark. The aircraft has declared an emergency and will receive priority handling at the airport.

The aircraft is expected to land between 11.45 a.m. and noon EDT.

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Stay with bnonews.com and "BreakingNews" on Twitter for the latest up-to-the-minute news updates.

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.... had been notified.

worried about, but it does add another complication to an already complicated situation.

Good luck to them.

As for all long hauls, there were three qualified pilots on board, one being a mandated spare. The cockpit was never undermanned and the flight was never actually in any particular trouble.

This is a news story, sure, but not the breathless reporting that it is getting.

Sticky the Clown ....... over and out.

but that would scare the living shit out of me if I was in that plane.