'The captain became incapacitated': Off-duty pilot steps in to help Southwest pilot mid-flight

An off-duty pilot stepped in to help fly a Southwest Airlines flight en route for Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday after the pilot experienced a medical emergency.

The incident took place not long after Flight 6013 took off from Las Vegas, Southwest Airlines told USA TODAY on Thursday. One of the pilots “needed medical attention,” the airline said.

“A credentialed pilot from another airline, who was on board, entered the flight deck and assisted with radio communication while our Southwest pilot flew the aircraft,” said airline spokesperson Chris Perry. “We greatly appreciate their support and assistance.”

'The captain became incapacitated'

In air traffic control audio from LiveATC.net, CNN reported a member of the flight crew is heard saying: “The captain became incapacitated while en route. He’s in the back of the aircraft right now with a flight attendant, but we need to get him on an ambulance immediately."

Information from the tracking site FlightAware.com shows the plane was in the air for about 1 hour and 17 minutes.

The flight then landed back in Las Vegas, and another flight crew operated the flight to its final destination, the airline said.

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It was not immediately known what type of medical emergency left the pilot incapacitated.

But Perry said the pilot was able to walk off the aircraft with assistance and was taken to a medical facility.

The pilot's condition on Thursday was not released by airline officials.

No other injuries on board were reported.

"We commend the crew for their professionalism and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding regarding the situation," Perry said.

The incident was being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.