A Turkish Airlines flight was en route to Istanbul, Turkiye, from Seattle, in the western United States, when the captain died on board, causing an emergency landing at New York Airport.
According to CNN on the 9th, at some point after the airline's TK204 took off from Seattle Airport the night before, the flight's captain, Ilhan Pehlivan (59), lost consciousness.
The captain's consciousness did not return even after the first aid, so the assistant captain decided to make an emergency landing. The plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at around 5:57 a.m., eight hours after takeoff.
However, Captain Pehlivan eventually died before the plane made an emergency landing, Turkish Airlines spokesman Yahia Ustun said.
The deceased captain has worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007 and underwent a medical examination in March, but no health problems were found that could interfere with his work.
Currently, Turkish Airlines is preparing alternative flights for passengers staying at New York's airport to go to their destination, Istanbul, Ustoun said.
Reporter Park Sun-young of Digital News Team
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