Pilots fell asleep: Batik Air airline investigated after both pilots fall asleep for 28 minutes during flight

An airline is being investigated after both pilots were found to have fallen asleep for 28 minutes during the flight. The two men have both been temporarily suspended following the incident which occurred on 25 January.

Both pilots fell asleep during a flight from Sulawesi to the capital Jakarta in Indonesia. One of the pilots, of the Batik Air flight, was reportedly tired from helping care for his newborn twins.

The Airbus A320 briefly veered off course but landed safely, with all 153 passengers and crew members unharmed. According to the report from the transport ministry, the 32-year-old pilot had told his co-pilot to take control of the aircraft about half an hour after take off, saying he needed to rest. 

The 28-year-old co-pilot agreed but inadvertently fell asleep as well. The report said he had been helping his wife look after their one-month-old twin babies.

Jakarta air traffic control tried contacting the cockpit of the Batik Air A320 after their last recorded transmission but received no response. That radio silence lasted 28 minutes until the lead pilot woke up and realised that his co-pilot had also fallen asleep, and the aircraft had briefly veered off course.

The pilots then responded to calls from Jakarta and landed the plane safely. Medical tests before the flight deemed that the men were fit to fly, their blood pressure and heart rate were normal and alcohol tests came back negative.

The BBC reports that authorities have now "strongly reprimanded" Batik Air over the incident. Aviation regulations in most countries require at least two pilots to be present in the cockpit of commercial airliners. Batik Air has said it "operates with adequate rest policy" and that it was "committed to implement all safety recommendations".

Investigators did not identify the pilots, but said they were both Indonesians and were aged 32 and 28. Indonesia's transport ministry announced on Saturday (9 March) that a probe will be launched into the airline.