A Turkish Airlines pilot has tragically died after falling ill during a flight from Seattle, Washington, to Istanbul, Turkey. Captain Ilcehin Pehlivan, 59, collapsed mid-air, prompting the second pilot and co-pilot to take control of the aircraft, according to an airline spokesperson.
“When first aid to our captain on the plane was unsuccessful, the cockpit crew… decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing,” explained Yahya Ustun. The Airbus A350 ultimately landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, where arrangements were made to transfer the passengers to their final destination in Turkey.
Flight TK204 departed Seattle shortly after 7:00 PM on Tuesday evening. It is reported that Captain Pehlivan experienced difficulties while over Canadian territory, specifically Nunavut, before his colleagues took over the controls.
Having joined Turkish Airlines in 2007, Pehlivan had undergone a routine health check in early March, which revealed no issues that would affect his ability to fly, according to the airline.
Turkey’s air traffic controllers’ association, TATCA, expressed its condolences to Pehlivan’s family, friends, and colleagues, acknowledging his years of dedicated service to the aviation community.
The cause of the pilot’s death has yet to be disclosed. Pilots are required to undergo medical examinations every 12 months, and those over the age of 40 must renew their medical certificates every six months.
This incident echoes a similar tragedy in 2015 when an American Airlines pilot, aged 57, collapsed and died during an overnight flight from Phoenix to Boston. In that case, the first officer successfully landed the plane in Syracuse.
