Turkish Airlines Flight Captain Dies During Flight, Emergency Landing at JFK
A tragic incident occurred on a Turkish Airlines flight from Seattle to Istanbul when the captain fell ill mid-flight over Greenland. The crew made the decision to turn back and conduct an emergency landing at New York’s JFK Airport, where the captain was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The incident involved Turkish Airlines flight TK204, which was operating an Airbus A350-900 with the registration TC-LGR. According to reports from the Aviation Herald, the flight took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on the evening of October 8, 2024, at 19:01 local time, for an eleven-hour journey to Istanbul.
Flight data from Flightradar24 indicates that the aircraft flew north, crossing northern Canada, before heading east toward Greenland, where it reached a cruising altitude of 39,000 feet south of Baffin Island. Approximately four hours into the flight, the captain, identified as Ilcehin Pehlivan, became incapacitated. In response, the relief pilot and first officer declared an emergency and redirected the aircraft south for an emergency landing at JFK Airport.
The aircraft landed safely at JFK at 02:56, around eight hours after its departure from Seattle. Medical crews quickly boarded the aircraft but found that Captain Pehlivan had already succumbed to his condition before the plane landed.
In a statement, Turkish Airlines confirmed the unfortunate event, noting, “The captain of our Airbus 350 type aircraft operating flight number TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul fainted during the flight. When the first medical intervention on board was ineffective, the cockpit crew decided to make an emergency landing. Unfortunately, our captain lost his life before landing.”
Captain Pehlivan, who had been with Turkish Airlines since 2007, was 59 years old. The airline also stated that a routine health examination was conducted on March 8, 2024, at an authorized Aviation Medical Center, with no health issues detected that would prevent him from flying.
The airline expressed condolences, saying, “As the Turkish Airlines family, we wish God’s mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, colleagues, and loved ones.”
As of now, the aircraft remains on the ground in New York, and plans for the passengers’ return are being coordinated via the New York station. The Airbus A350-900 is relatively new, having been delivered to Turkish Airlines in February 2024. While the exact number of passengers aboard flight TK204 is not confirmed, the aircraft is configured to accommodate 329 passengers in a two-class layout, consisting of 32 in business class and 297 in economy.
Flight TK204 operates daily from Seattle to Istanbul, departing SEA at 18:40 and scheduled to arrive in IST at 16:40 local time the following day.
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