A Turkish Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in New York after Captain Ilcehin Pehlivan, 59, tragically collapsed and died mid-flight, the airline confirmed on Wednesday.
Flight TK204, which departed from Seattle around 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, was en route to Turkey when the incident occurred. As the Airbus A350 was flying over the Canadian territory of Nunavut, Captain Pehlivan collapsed. Despite efforts to administer first aid, he passed away before the plane could land.
The second pilot and co-pilot promptly took control of the situation, diverting the aircraft to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The plane landed safely about eight hours after its departure. Passengers were subsequently rebooked on a new flight to Turkey from New York.
Captain Pehlivan, who had been with Turkish Airlines since 2007, had recently passed a routine health examination in March, which did not indicate any issues affecting his ability to fly, according to the airline.
Turkey’s Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (TATCA) offered condolences to Pehlivan’s family, friends, and colleagues, honoring his years of dedicated service to the aviation industry.
Although the cause of death has not been disclosed, pilots are required to undergo regular medical exams, with those over the age of 40 needing to renew their certificates every six months.
This incident recalls a similar event in 2015, when an American Airlines pilot died mid-flight on a journey from Phoenix to Boston. The first officer in that case successfully landed the plane in Syracuse, New York.
Current aviation regulations stipulate that two pilots must remain in the cockpit of large commercial aircraft at all times.
