Turkish Airlines Pilot Dies Mid-Air While Flying From Seattle To Istanbul

A Pilot of a Turkish Airlines flight from Seattle to Istanbul died mid-air, prompting the plane to make an emergency landing in New York. The pilot has been identified as Ilcehin Pehlivan, who was 59-years-old at the time of his death. Turkish Airline spokesperson Yahya Ustun said Pehlivan passed over the aircraft controls to his co-pilot moments before he lost consciousness. After the first aid failed to work on the captain, Flight TK204 made an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The plane landed at the New York airport approximately eight hours after leaving Seattle. Extending condolences to the captain's family, Ustun said, "As Turkish Airlines, we deeply feel the loss of our captain and extend our sincere condolences to his bereaved family, colleagues, and all his loved ones." The spokesperson added that the captain, who had flown with Turkish Airlines since 2007, was extremely fit and did not have any such medical issues. Pilots above the age of 40 undergo full body tests every six months. Pehlivan had gotten his health check up done in March this year. The cause of his death has not been released.The incident comes months after the wife of a pilot had to push for an emergency landing after her husband suffered a heart attack mid-air. Kinane Wells, who had no flying experience, took the matter to her hands and got a detailed brief from the Air Traffic Controller (ATC). The The couple was en route from Henderson Executive Airport in Las Vegas to Monterey, California, on a Beechcraft King Air 90 aircraft.