Off-Duty Pilot From Different Airline Helps Lands Plane After Southwest Captain Falls Ill

LAS VEGAS, NV — A pilot from another airline helped to safely land a Southwest Airlines flight in Las Vegas on Wednesday after its captain became "incapacitated," according to the airline and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The incident happened on Southwest Airlines flight 6013 after taking off from Las Vegas, authorities said. The plane was bound for Columbus, Ohio, when "one of the pilots became ill after departure," a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to Patch.

In archived radio traffic obtained by NBC News, a person said the captain started to feel stomach pain and then "fainted or became incapacitated" around five minutes later.

The person said the captain "came back" about a minute later and was being tended to in the back of the plane, NBC reported.

Southwest spokesperson Chris Perry told Patch a "credentialed pilot from another airline" stepped up to help land the plane.

"(They) entered the flight deck and assisted with radio communication while our Southwest pilot flew the aircraft," Perry said in an emailed statement. "We greatly appreciate their support and assistance."

"We commend the crew for their professionalism and appreciate our Customers' patience and understanding regarding the situation," Perry added.

According to the FAA, the flight landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas around 8 a.m.

The pilot's condition or the nature of their medical emergency was not immediately known Thursday.