Turkish Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Pilot Dies Mid-Flight

 

A Turkish Airlines flight bound for Istanbul made an emergency landing at JFK International Airport in New York after its pilot, Captain İlçehin Pehlivan, fainted and tragically died mid-flight. The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 9, according to an official statement from the airline.

The flight, TK204, had departed from Seattle on Tuesday and was scheduled to land in Istanbul. However, during the journey, Pehlivan collapsed, prompting the flight crew to attempt resuscitation. Despite their efforts, the 59-year-old pilot passed away before the plane could land.

Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün confirmed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "The pilot of our Airbus 350, flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul, collapsed during the flight. After an unsuccessful attempt to provide first aid, the crew made the decision to perform an emergency landing at JFK."

Flight-tracking data from FlightAware shows that the aircraft departed from Seattle at 7:02 p.m. on Tuesday and landed at JFK at 5:57 a.m. on Wednesday. Pehlivan, who had been with Turkish Airlines since 2007, had undergone a routine health check on August 3 and was deemed fit to fly by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation.

Passengers aboard flight TK204 were later transferred to another aircraft to continue their journey to Istanbul. The airline expressed condolences to Pehlivan's family and colleagues, with Üstün adding, "As the Turkish Airlines family, we wish God’s mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, all his colleagues, and loved ones."