No Abnormalities Found During Health Check... Captain Suddenly Dies Mid-Flight, Passenger Plane Makes Emergency Landing

Turkish Airlines Passenger Plane Makes Emergency Landing at New York Airport

A Turkish Airlines passenger plane traveling from Seattle in the western United States to Istanbul, Turkey, experienced a tragic incident when the captain suddenly lost consciousness and passed away.

On the 9th (local time), CNN reported that on the previous night, Turkish Airlines flight TK204 took off from Seattle Airport, and the captain of the flight, Iltehin Pehlivan (59), lost consciousness.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

Despite emergency treatment, the captain did not regain consciousness, so the first officer decided to make an emergency landing. The passenger plane landed at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport at around 5:57 a.m. (Eastern Time), eight hours after takeoff. However, Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Ustun stated that the captain had died before the plane made the emergency landing.

The deceased captain had been working for Turkish Airlines since 2007 and had undergone a health checkup in March, but no health issues that could interfere with work were found. Currently, Turkish Airlines is preparing replacement flights to allow passengers on this flight, who are staying at New York Airport, to reach their destination, Istanbul.

Meanwhile, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations, pilots must undergo health checkups once every 12 months, and captains over 40 years old must have checkups every six months. Additionally, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates that both the captain and first officer must be present in the cockpit to prepare for emergencies. Although the captain and first officer can operate the passenger plane alone, they must always be together in the cockpit to prepare for any incapacitation of one pilot.