ALBAWABA - Turkish Airlines Flight 204, which was traveling from Seattle to Istanbul, had to make an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York early on Wednesday due to the untimely passing of İlçehin Pehlivan, the captain of the aircraft, multiple news media outlets report.
Shortly after take-off on Tuesday night, the 59-year-old pilot lost consciousness, resulting in a medical emergency inside the aircraft. Captain Pehlivan's condition deteriorated as he remained unconscious despite prompt medical care. the co-pilot, who was accompanied by two other pilots considering the long-haul flight, made the crucial choice to divert the Airbus A350 to New York.
According to flight tracking data provided by FlightAware, the aircraft arrived at JFK Airport without incident at about six in the morning. The crew and passengers were greeted by emergency workers who were prepared to aid them upon their arrival. Unfortunately, Captain Pehlivan had already passed away prior to the plane touching land.
Turkish Airlines expressed their sincere condolences for the captain's loss in an official statement, "We deeply feel the loss of our captain and extend our sincere condolences to his bereaved family, colleagues, and all his loved ones," said Yahya Üstün, senior vice president of public relations for the airline, on social media.
Since joining Turkish Airlines in 2007, Captain Pehlivan's health has been routinely checked, and in March 2024, there were no underlying medical concerns that would have precluded him from carrying out his responsibilities, according to the airliner.
Turkish Airlines adds that it is now making plans to guarantee that every passenger on Flight 204 gets to their destination as soon as possible.
