İlçehin Pehlivan Obituary, Death; – A Turkish Airlines aircraft traveling from Seattle to Istanbul was forced to make an emergency landing in New York on Wednesday following the death of the pilot, as reported by an airline representative.
Pilot İlçehin Pehlivan, aged 59, lost consciousness at some point after Flight TK204 departed from Seattle on Tuesday night, according to Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün.
The crew opted for an emergency landing and attempted to revive the pilot, Üstün stated, but he unfortunately passed away before the aircraft could land. Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicates that the Airbus A350 arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport shortly before 6 a.m.
The airline is making arrangements for passengers to continue their journey from New York, the spokesperson confirmed. Pehlivan had been employed by Turkish Airlines since 2007, Üstün noted. A routine health examination conducted in March revealed no issues that would have hindered his ability to work.
“As Turkish Airlines, we profoundly mourn the loss of our captain and extend our heartfelt condolences to his grieving family, colleagues, and all those who held him dear,” Üstün expressed.
