Dramatic flight from Seattle to Istanbul: Despite immediate first aid measures by the crew, the pilot of a Turkish Airlines plane died during the flight. The plane had to make an emergency landing in New York.
The Airbus A350-900 was en route to Istanbul when the pilot fainted at a cruising altitude of approximately 11,880 meters above Canada. Despite immediate first aid measures by the crew, the pilot’s condition did not improve, Bild reported.
The other two pilots in the cockpit then decided to make an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
Captain died before landing
The captain, Ilkikhin Pehlivam, died before landing at the age of 59. Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün confirmed the tragic incident and expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased.
Deceased pilot: last health check in March
Pehlivam had been employed by the airline since 2007 and had no known health problems previously. His last health check in March 2024 at the Aviation Medical Center revealed no concerns that would have raised against his use in the cockpit.
The passengers of the affected flight would now be flown back to Istanbul via New York. In a statement, Turkish Airlines expressed its sadness over the loss of its long-time captain and offered its condolences to the family.
Source: Krone
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