A Turkish Airlines flight made an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York early Wednesday after the pilot died mid-flight.
Captain İlçehin Pehlivan, 59, lost consciousness while flying the Airbus A350 on Flight 204 from Seattle to Istanbul.
Crew members attempted to revive Captain Pehlivan after he collapsed, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The co-pilot quickly assumed control of the aircraft and diverted the plane to New York, where it landed safely. Medical personnel at JFK pronounced Captain Pehlivan dead upon arrival.
The tragic incident has raised concerns about pilot health and safety. Turkish Airlines has expressed its condolences to the captain’s family and confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of his death.
Passengers on board the flight were not harmed, and they are being rerouted to Istanbul on a different plane. This marks a rare but serious occurrence in aviation, where mid-flight medical emergencies involving crew members require immediate action.
