Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Aircraft X came to me level at 35;000 feet. When Aircraft X entered my sector he said he needed to descend to a lower altitude right now; and it sounded as if something was wrong. In my experience this is normally a pressurization issue. I looked at the underlying sector's traffic and saw one aircraft and no other traffic. I decided to turn Aircraft X 15 degrees left to avoid that aircraft and gave him a descent to 24;000 feet. I yelled across to adjacent sectors and told them Aircraft X needed an immediate descent and to turn their aircraft to the left. That sector turned their aircraft 30 degrees left.During this entire time Aircraft X did not answer me and I believe he did not make the turn. But he did start descending. At this point I knew something was absolutely wrong because he was descending rapidly and he was not responding. Two minutes passed and I asked what the issue was and did not receive a response. I then asked if he wanted lower. He said yes; and I could hear he had his oxygen mask on. I gave Aircraft X a descent to 10;000 feet and he responded with the correct read back.Aircraft X then asked to divert. I gave the clearance and also asked for the nature of the emergency; people on board; and fuel remaining and did not receive a response. Aircraft X then asked to divert to a different airport at which point I gave him a clearance and a heading at his request. He then leveled at 10;000 feet and notified me his windshield had shattered and gave me the necessary emergency information to pass along.
ZMP Controller reported working an aircraft making an emergency descent to 10;000 feet.