Turkish Airlines pilot dies midflight, leading to emergency landing in New York
A Turkish Airlines pilot died midflight, leading the aircraft to make an emergency landing at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday, officials said.
İlçehin Pehlivan, 59, lost consciousness during Turkish Airlines Flight TK204, and after initial medical assistance was provided, the crew decided to make an emergency landing, Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün said in a statement to TODAY.com.
Pehlivan had been with the airline since 2007 and underwent a routine health examination in March, Üstün said. No health problems were identified that would prevent him from working, Üstün said.
The Turkish Airlines flight landed safely around 6 a.m. after one of the pilots suffered a medical emergency, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement to NBC News.
Emergency personnel arrived on the scene, and passengers were deplaned and were in the process of being rebooked, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement to NBC News.
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