A Turkish Airlines flight from Seattle to Istanbul was forced to make an emergency landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after the captain, İlçehin Pehlivan, died mid-flight.
The incident occurred during a 12-hour flight on Tuesday evening when Captain Pehlivan, 59, suddenly fainted while piloting the Airbus A350. The co-pilots onboard quickly took control of the aircraft and diverted the flight to New York.
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the plane was flying north over Canada when it abruptly changed course over Baffin Island, heading towards JFK Airport.
Turkish Airlines confirmed that Captain Pehlivan had been with the airline since 2007 and had passed a medical examination in March. Despite attempts to administer first aid, the captain was pronounced dead before the plane landed.
A spokesperson for Turkish Airlines stated on social media platform X: “After an unsuccessful attempt to give first aid, the flight crew of another pilot and a co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing. We wish Allah’s mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, all his colleagues and loved ones.”
Passengers affected by the emergency landing will be rerouted to Istanbul from New York, the airline confirmed.
While rare, in-flight pilot deaths are not unprecedented. In August 2023, a LATAM Airlines captain died in the aircraft toilet during a flight from Miami to Santiago. Similarly, that same month, a 40-year-old pilot collapsed and died at the boarding gate in Pune, India, just before a scheduled flight to Nagpur.
The successful emergency landing at JFK demonstrates the professionalism and quick thinking of the co-pilots in a high-stress situation, ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew aboard the flight.
As investigations into the cause of Captain Pehlivan’s death continue, the aviation industry will likely review and reinforce health screening procedures for pilots to prevent similar incidents in the future.
