Pilot dies in mid-flight; plane makes emergency landing in New York

A Turkish Airlines plane going from Seattle to Istanbul made an emergency landing in New York this Wednesday, after the pilot died on board, authorities reported.

Pilot İlçehin Pehlivan, 59, collapsed at some point on flight TK204, which had left Seattle on Tuesday night, Turkish Airlines spokesman Yahya Üstün said in a statement.

The crew decided to make an emergency landing and tried to resuscitate the pilot, but he died before landing, Üstün said.

The FlightAware website shows that the plane, an Airbus A350, landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport just before 6 a.m.

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Arrangements are being made so that passengers can reach their destinations from New York, the spokesperson added.

Pehlivan had been working for Turkish Airlines since 2007, Üstün said. A routine medical examination in March did not return any results that would prevent him from working, he added.

“As Turkish Airlines, we are deeply sorry for the loss of our captain and we express our deepest condolences to his bereaved family, his colleagues and all his loved ones,” Üstün said.

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