Pilot Died In Flight

The pilot died during the Continental Flight 61 from Brussels, Belgium to Newark, New Jersey on Thursday.

The pilot’s family told CNN that the pilot’s name is Craig Lenell, 60 years old.

There were 3 pilots on the trans-Atlantic flight.

Trans-Atlantic flights are the flights that fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

When the pilot died the two other pilots flew the Boeing 777 and landed at Newark International Airport at 11:49 AM ET Thursday.

ET means the North America Eastern Time Zone.

All the 247 passengers were safe and only knew that the pilot died when they reached Newark.

I think the pilot’s family are very sad because the pilot died.

(CNN) — The pilot of Continental Flight 61 died Thursday as the plane flew from Brussels, Belgium, to Newark, New Jersey, the Federal Aviation Administration and Continental Airlines said.

Pilot Craig Lenell is shown with daughter Jennifer Lenell-Small, a former Continental employee.

The 60-year-old Newark-based pilot died of “apparently of natural causes” about halfway through the flight, the airline said. He had 32 years of service with Continental, it said.

The pilot’s family identified him to CNN as Craig Lenell.

The airline said the crew on the flight included an additional relief pilot who took the place of the deceased man, and “the flight continued safely with two pilots at the controls.” The Boeing 777 landed safely at Newark International Airport at 11:49 a.m. ET Thursday, the airline said.

No further details were given. Continental did not release the pilot’s name.

Asked whether the plane’s 247 passengers had been told of the situation, a Continental spokesman said only that the plane had arrived safely.

Passengers told CNN that they were not informed, and that the only indication of a problem was that an announcement for a doctor was made during the flight. Watch a report about airline procedures »

“I haven’t heard anything.” passenger Chris Balchuas, from Houston, Texas, told reporters after the flight. “They just said there was a medical emergency and were there any doctors aboard.”

Another passenger, Dr. Julien Struyzen, said he responded to the request for a doctor and pronounced the pilot dead.