Tragic Mid-Air Incident: Turkish Airlines Captain Passes Away

A Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul made an emergency landing in New York after the captain, Ilçehin Pehlivan, 59, died mid-flight. Despite medical intervention efforts, he was pronounced dead before landing. Pehlivan had been a pilot with the airline since 2007 and passed a recent health check.

A Turkish Airlines flight en route from Seattle to Istanbul was forced to make an emergency landing in New York after its captain tragically died mid-flight, leaving passengers in shock and mourning.

The incident occurred when Captain Ilçehin Pehlivan, a veteran pilot with 16 years of service at the airline, lost consciousness shortly after the flight, identified as flight 204, departed Seattle on Tuesday night. Despite prompt medical intervention onboard, Captain Pehlivan was declared dead before the emergency landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport just before 6 a.m., according to Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün.

The cause of death remains unavailable, as Pehlivan's routine health check in March indicated no issues. The airline extends its deepest condolences to Pehlivan's family and is currently arranging for passenger transfers to their original destinations.

(With inputs from agencies.)