Continental Airlines tragedy - Captain dies on Belgium-New Jersey flight, co-pilots take over control

18/06/2009. The captain of Continental Airlines flight 61 en route from Brussels to New York unexpectedly dies during the flight. The co-pilots declare emergency and continue the flight. Besides the incident, everything on board is ok. The first two officers will land the plane at Newark airport.
Continental Airlines plane - a Boeing 777 with 247 passengers on board - made an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport at about 12:00 ET (16:00 GMT). The passengers were not told about the situation aboard exepting the fact that a request for a doctor was made in mid-flight. The captain, a 61-year-old man seems to have died of natural causes. He was on duty with the air company for about 32 years - the airline officials said.
Family identified the deceased pilot of Continental flight 61 as Craig Lenell. In the photo Craig Lenell is shown with daughter Jennifer Lenell-Small, a former Continental employee.
On the left, Craig Lenell picture with his daughter.