Turkish Airlines pilot dies mid-flight, forcing emergency landing in New York
A Turkish Airlines aircraft lands as the other prepares to take off at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Türkiye on Apr 3, 2019. (File photo: REUTERS/Murad Sezer)
ISTANBUL: A Turkish Airlines pilot died after collapsing mid-flight, forcing the Turkish national carrier to make an emergency landing in New York, the airline said on Wednesday (Oct 9).
The plane had taken off from the western US coastal city of Seattle on Tuesday evening, airline spokesman Yahya Ustun wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"The pilot of our Airbus 350 ... flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed during the flight," he wrote.
"After an unsuccessful attempt to give first aid, the flight crew of another pilot and a co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing."
Data from the tracking site FlightAware shows that the plane landed at John F Kennedy International Airport just before 6am.
Arrangements were being made for passengers to reach their destination from New York, the airline spokesperson said.
The 59-year-old pilot, Ilcehin Pehlivan, who had worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007, had passed a medical examination in March, which gave no indication of any health problems, Ustun wrote.
“As Turkish Airlines, we deeply feel the loss of our captain and extend our sincerest condolences to his bereaved family, colleagues, and all his loved ones,” Ustun said.
