Live Blog 6/18/09
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Tonight on 360°, a Continental jet lands safely at Newark airport, with the first officer at the controls. Passengers say that's when they learned the 60-year-old captain had died during the cross-Atlantic flight, apparently from natural causes. A doctor on board was called to help. Should the crew have told all the passengers what was happening?
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Glad you're OK Anderson...You have fortitude ...
oy! Poor Anderson! planes scare me
All these palne crashes and braking apart it's happening almost evceryday it seem latley . The air France jet and now this piolt dying
@Emma I agree, informing the passengers might have started some out of control panic. My famiy's condolences to Mrs. Lenell, and their family. We shall remember you in our prayers.
@Minou, I'll risk the icebergs. I fly a lot and don't like it a bit.
Well I am glad to hear that you arrived safely to your destination. Just shows we can't always control when it is our time to die. I'm sure the pilot would have waited if he had a choice. It was just his time at an unusual time during a flight.
@Mike and @ Jasmine, I wish I could take a boat across the Atlantic but I am not sure how much safer that would be. Not to mention how much longer it would take 🙂
Violations are so evil so I am so scaed of them, because they are so hurt things!
As to Iran I am hoping that the people will take over just like it happen 30 years ego to the shah of Iran, When he had to flee the country, I am hopeful. , and our President is sating natural it is very smart,
I feel terrible for the pilot's wife, but it sounds as if he went peacefully and painlessly. I'm sure that's little comfort to her now, but hopefully she'll feel better about it later.
So sad that she also lost her mother so recently.
Why does it matter to me if my neighbor is growing pot? Please explain...
Pres. Obama (& the world) need to Do Something about N. Korea. They don't seem to care what anyone else in this world wants.
Incredible photo of the Galley Kitchen....eerie
scary stuff that went down on flight 447. I just wonder how those passengers felt, my prayers go out to the families
@Krasi: no offense, but one day a year for the refugee problem is all we can handle... the other days have their own catastrophes designated to them.
Best we can do is pick our own Cause and stay on course with it.
I think a train is safer than a plane or car . I think i'll never fly again .
What do they always tell you to do on a long flight? Get up and walk around to prevent blood clots. Pilots don't have this option. Do they do something else? Brussels to Newark is a long flight.
Outstanding that Iran images keepcoming.God bless the people of Iran and the progress that they are making, Historical & Hopeful.
A heartbreaking phone call with Craig Lenell's wife. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and all his family and loved ones.
what happened to the Hillary Clinton interview which was scheduled for tonignt?
This pilot dying in the air i guess it makes you think twice about flying and maybe they should inform passengers if piolot is not well .
Do we know if the loser in Iran is any better than the winner? I thought he was a hard core fundamentalist as well.
@ Mike: yeah, but surely you've heard of the Titanic? lol
Hi Anderson and all bloggers. The coverage of Iran is amazing. Great job on CNN all day.
@Krasi, I agree. Informing the passengers would only result in panic and that would not help the situation.
@Mike, yeah I kinda think a boat is a little safer than a plane.... 🙁
Hey, I heard about NK firing missles to Hawaii. Scares me cuz that's my homestate. I hope nothing happens.
Poor Hillary braking her elbow falling yikes!
That's so sad....losing her mother and now her husband within such a short period of time. At least he died doing what he loved.
We need a change in Iran
I wish the discussion on the unbearable lives of refugees around the world would happen more often and not just on Refugee Day.
Good Evening Anderson and Angelina!
I just wanted to say that Angelina Jolie is a modern day saint and hero – Keep up the Beautiful work. You are an inspiration and a Wonderful role model.
A good friend of mine's dad was a commercial pilot for years - he talked about procedure upon procedure for every imaginable occurance. Made me feel safer about flying.
Planes breaking up in flight, pilots dying in flight; time to take a boat across the Atlantic.
Yes Isabel....
Poor his wife..... also her mom too! 🙁
Thanks for bringing us any news from inside Iran since most lines of communication have been cut. This is truly a historic time. Keep the news coming & our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Iran.
I agree that the passengers should not be informed about the pilot's death. Not only it won't help, but it will probably cause a lot of problems.
Wonder what the atmosphere of the cockpit was like after the pilot died and the relief pilot took over....
Iran is ready for a change
No one is free to feel bad at work, but it sounds strange and scary when the place of work is up there.
The rest of the crew must have gone through terrible times
What are the people of Iran going to accomplish by protests so they think this will change the electuon results .
I can't imagine the pain that the pilot's wife is going through. To have to bury both her mom and her husband within a couple of days of each other. My heart truly goes out to her.
Anderson,
Hi! You must have had a very busy day.
It's unfortunate that Hillary Clinton couldn't be on your program tonight– I'm looking forward to your interview with Angelina Jolie.
evening, bloggers.
amazing mrs lendell was able to speak earlier today... esp after learning her mother has just passed, as well.
It would've created unnecessary panic had the crew told the passengers that their pilot had died. I was on a flight once where the pilot got sick and that in itself caused enough panic. I can't imagine being on a flight and hearing that the pilot just died.
Hi Anderson,
Please don't stop coverage on Iran. Other news station are doing little to nothing in this historical event. Anyone who is familiar with Iran's revolution back in 1979 understands what's happening now. This could be a regime change and getting these Ayatollahs out of the country for good.
CNN is the only station that every Iranian in America is turning into. Thank you for your coverage and pray for Iran.
Incredible story about the family & the pilot, our heart goes out to his wife.
I believe that not telling the passengers was the best decision to avoid possible panic.
Almost all airplanes have a co-pilot that is perfectly trained to land the plane in case of emergencies, like this one for example.
He probably had an undetected blood clot and died of a heart attack or stroke.
I am glad that airlines have contingency plans for a pilot who becomes incapcitated in flight and thankful that the Continental flight landed safely at Newark airport.
If there's that many problems with the election in Iran, I wonder how there could be a recount, but I imagine the clerics who have ultimate authority, as Abbas Milani says, in that country can make this happen.
A postive note. If the protests and rallies can become and stay peaceful that could help pave the way for a recount.
Thank you Anderson for asking the professor to explain the basics of the Iranian gov powers. It's one of the things I love most about AC360 - informing viewers of issues occuring in our global community (in terms we can understand).
That piolot dying in the air scares me ,it's so sad for his family and it also scary for passengers too .