Flight from Seattle to Istanbul diverts to New York after pilot collapses
A Turkish Airlines pilot tragically passed away mid-air during a flight from Seattle to Istanbul, prompting an emergency landing in New York.
The incident occurred aboard an Airbus 350 on flight TK204, as confirmed by the airline’s spokesperson on Wednesday. The flight departed from Seattle on Tuesday evening.
In a statement on social media platform X, airline spokesperson Yahya Ustun reported, “The pilot of our Airbus 350… flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed during the flight.”
Despite attempts at administering first aid, the pilot did not survive. The co-pilot and another pilot on board decided to make an emergency landing.
The airline revealed that the 59-year-old pilot had been with Turkish Airlines since 2007 and had undergone a medical examination in March, which showed no signs of any health issues.