When flying on a mega passenger airline, the passengers have 100 per cent trust in the qualifications and capabilities of the pilots. Their lives depend on it.

This is why passengers aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight were in August 2022 shocked when their plane overshot the runaway.

Apparently, the two Ethiopian Airlines pilots flying the plane had fallen asleep while flying a flight from Nairobi to Khartoum to Ethiopia capital Addis Ababa and missed their landing.

The incident took place on August 25, 2022, according to Aviation Herald, which added that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) raised an alert when flight ET343 approached the airport but did not start the descent.

While the pilots fell asleep, the Boeing 737’s autopilot system kept the plane cruising at 37,000 feet, the outlet further said. It further said that the aircraft remained on the ground for about 2.5 hours before departing for its next flight.

The ATC tried to contact the pilots several times but couldn’t succeed. When the plane overflew the runway where it was supposed to land, the autopilot disconnected. That triggered an alarm, which woke up the pilots, according to Aviation Herald.

“An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration ET-AOB performing flight ET-343 from Khartoum (Sudan) to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), was enroute at FL370 when the pilots fell asleep.

“The aircraft continued past the top of descent maintaining FL370 and continued along the FMC route set up for an approach to runway 25L without descending however. ATC tried to contact the crew numerous times without success.

“After overflying runway 25L at FL370 the autopilot disconnected, the disconnect wailer woke the crew up who then maneouvered the aircraft for a safe landing on runway 25L about 25 minutes after overflying the runway at FL370,” the Aviation Herald cited

It added that the aircraft remained on the ground for about 2.5 hours before departing for its next flight.

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“ADS-B data confirm the information, The Aviation Herald received, showing the aircraft maintained FL370 until after overflying the runway before the aircraft began to descend and maneuver for another approach,” the Aviation Herald reported.