A Turkish Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after the tragic death of its captain mid-flight, airline officials have confirmed.
The 59-year-old pilot, identified as Ilcehin Pehlivan, was at the controls of an Airbus A350-900, which was en route from Seattle to Istanbul when the emergency occurred.
According to a spokesperson for the airline, the crew attempted to provide first aid to the captain but were unsuccessful. The decision was then made by the flight’s co-pilot and another pilot on board to divert the plane to New York for an emergency landing. Sadly, Captain Pehlivan passed away before the aircraft could land.
The plane landed safely at JFK, and no other injuries were reported. Authorities are now investigating the cause of death, and Turkish Airlines has expressed its condolences to the captain’s family and crew. Further updates on the situation are expected in due course.
