A Turkish Airlines jetliner en route from Seattle to Istanbul was forced to make an emergency landing in New York after the pilot passed away during the flight. The incident occurred on Flight TK204, with Pilot Ilçehin Pehlivan, 59, losing consciousness after takeoff from Seattle on Tuesday night.
According to a statement from Turkish Airlines, the crew onboard the Airbus A350 made the decision to divert the flight and attempted to revive the pilot, but unfortunately, he did not survive. The plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport around 6 a.m., as per data from FlightAware.
Passenger arrangements were being organized to ensure they could reach their final destination from New York. Pehlivan, who had been with Turkish Airlines since 2007, had undergone a routine health check in March that had not indicated any health issues that would have impeded his ability to fly.
The airline expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their captain and extended heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and loved ones during this difficult time.
