Passenger helps land a jumbo jet

A passenger has been hailed a hero after helping to land a plane at Dublin airport.

The Boeing 747 was been flying over the Atlantic on Monday when the first officer of the Lufthansa flight fell ill.

The flight from Newark to Frankfurt was diverted to Dublin after the co-pilot suffered an incapacitating migraine, reported The Guardian.

When the cabin crew announced the plane was being diverted, an off-duty pilot who was on board the flight offered to help, pointing out that he was a qualified pilot.

The German national helped bring the plane down safely in an emergency landing at the airport in the Irish capital shortly before 6am.

Ireland's Air Accident Investigations Unit is reportedly reviewing the matter.

A Lufthansa spokeswoman said in the London publication that the man who stepped in 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," she 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."

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Well firstly, it was no ordinary passenger. He's a fully qualified 747 off-duty pilot. So it isn't as "heroic" as it seems. I hope the co-pilot is well and is able to continue flying.