New York (Agencies): The Turkish Airlines Flight TK204, en route from Seattle to Istanbul, was forced to make an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport early Wednesday morning.
The emergency diversion occurred after the 59-year-old captain, ?lçehin Pehlivan, collapsed mid-flight and could not be revived despite immediate medical intervention by the crew.
The flight, which departed Seattle at 7:02 PM local time on Tuesday, was approximately eight hours into its journey when the captain lost consciousness.
The co-pilot and crew made the critical decision to divert the Airbus A350 to New York, landing safely just before 6 AM.
Pehlivan, who had been with Turkish Airlines since 2007, had recently passed a routine health check in March with no issues detected.
The airline expressed deep condolences to his family, colleagues, and loved ones, highlighting the profound loss felt by the Turkish Airlines community.
Passengers on the flight were accommodated and arrangements were made for them to continue their journey to Istanbul from New York.
This incident underscores the importance of rigorous health monitoring for aviation professionals and the critical role of crew preparedness in handling in-flight emergencies.