‘Hero’ passenger lands Boeing 747 at Dublin airport

A German passenger is being hailed a hero for helping land a Lufthansa Boeing 747 after the plane's first officer fell ill.

The passenger, an off-duty pilot, approached the cabin crew after they announced the flight was being diverted. Upon learning the first officer was incapacitated with a severe migraine, he offered to help land the plane.

"It was a miracle," a source involved in the operation told Independent.ie. "It had all the elements of a Hollywood movie but thankfully one with a happy ending."

Another source shared similar sentiments with the Herald:

"It was a miracle to have a man with his background on board. He helped the pilot land the plane in an extremely professional manner. Without him, we could have had a crisis on our hands."

A Lufthansa spokeswoman said the man, who helped land the plane safely in Dublin, was fully licensed to operate and fly the 747.

"In such circumstances it's absolutely normal procedure for the pilot, the flight captain, to continue to operate the aircraft," the spokeswoman said. "Also, where necessary, the cabin crew are fully trained and can be called upon to read checklists back to the pilot. The procedures are in place for such an eventuality."