- Plane makes emergency landing in New York
By Abiola Olawale
In a tragic development, a Turkish Airlines flight made an emergency landing at JFK Airport in New York, United States, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, after its pilot collapsed mid-flight and later died.
This was contained in a press statement issued by the Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Ustun.
According to the statement, the flight TK2O4 was on its way from Seattle to Istanbul when the pilot fainted.
Ustun explained that efforts to provide him first aid did not help as the cockpit crew, consisting of another pilot and copilot, decided to make an emergency landing at JFK around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The pilot was identified as 59-year-old Ilcehin Pehlivan, who has been working for the company since 2007.
“As the Turkish Airlines family, we wish God’s mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, all his colleagues and loved ones,” spokesperson Yahya Ustun posted to X.
The New Diplomat reports that Turkish Airlines is the flag carrier of Turkey. As of June 2024, it operates scheduled services to 349 destinations (incl. cargo) in Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas. The airline serves more destinations non-stop from a single airport than any other airline in the world and flies to 130 countries, more than any other airline.
