Ilcehin Pehlivan, 59, was unable to be revived by crewmates after losing consciousness on Flight TK204, which took off from Seattle on Tuesday night. He passed away before the plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport shortly before 6 am Wednesday, Komo News reported.
"After the initial medical intervention on board proved ineffective, the cockpit crew, consisting of one captain and one co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing. Unfortunately, our captain passed away before they could land," the spokesperson said. "As Turkish Airlines, we deeply feel the loss of our captain and extend our sincerest condolences to his bereaved family, colleagues, and all his loved ones."
Pehlivan's cause of death remains unknown, and a routine health check conducted in March determined him to be healthy, revealing he had no reason to prevent him from work. The pilot joined Turkish Airlines in 2007.
Turkish Airlines said that would be making accommodations for the passengers who were on board to reach their final destinations.
