Pilot suffers medical emergency shortly after takeoff on Delta flight from Minneapolis

A pilot suffered a medical emergency on a Delta Airlines flight, forcing the plane to return to Minneapolis-St. Paul shortly after takeoff.

Delta Flight 1208, traveling from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Orlando, declared an emergency “for priority handling” with air traffic control Monday, shortly after takeoff.

According to a spokesperson for the airline, the emergency involved a “reported medical issue involving a pilot.”

“The crew followed established procedures to return to MSP where the aircraft landed safely. As safety comes first at Delta, we are focused on supporting the pilot and our customers to ensure onward travel,” the airline told NBC News in a statement.

Details on the medical issue and the condition of the pilot were not immediately released.

The Boeing 757-300 had 178 passengers and seven crew members onboard at the time.

The airline is arranging a new flight so travelers can continue with their travels to Orlando.

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