Yes, very sad indeed. I heard about it this afternoon while the flight was over the Atlantic on the aviation network. What an awful situation for the crew to have to deal with and the sad loss of a colleague in that way. As usual though, the news networks have exagerated things. Why can't they just report the facts and leave it at that, especially with something as tragic as this. The First Officer (not co-pilot) is a fully competant and qualified pilot, not just an assistant to the Captain and is fully capable of flying the aircraft. 'Lucky landing' as a sub heading is beyond belief. The aircraft was never in danger so there was nothing lucky about it. A relief pilot is often carried on long flights with duties spit between the three of them, it's far from a stroke of good fortune. It's no mean feat to land an aircraft of that size on your own under those circumstances, but that wasn't the case. Rather than dramatising things, they should stick to the facts and of an already sad story for those involved.

EDIT: typo

Darren

well said Darren,
no doubt tomorrows tabloids will make it a near fatal incident, as they have done with other [not so common] technical problems,

facts is what we all need and the basic fact is although tragic for colleges and family, even without a 3rd officer on board, the fist officer a fully qualified and well trained pilot would still have been able to bring the bird home in full safety

Brian

I heard this on the car radio this afternoon.
That poor man's family...

Oh my god thats terrible.......

Poor man. My sympathies for his family and loved ones.

Well put, Darren! His first officer and the crew are perfectly compitent, otherwise they wouldn't be there! They had enough to deal with, with the death of their collegue, who could have been a close friend to them, without the headline grabbing garbage of the tabloids.