A Turkish Airlines pilot died in a mid-flight crash, forcing Turkey’s national carrier to make an emergency landing in New York, Turkish Airlines said Wednesday. The incident occurred after the plane took off from Seattle on Tuesday evening, airline spokesperson Yahya Ustun wrote on social media.
“The pilot of Airbus 350 flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed mid-flight,” he wrote. “As first aid attempts failed, the other pilot and co-pilot’s crew decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing,” he said.
A map published by flight tracking data company FlightAware shows the plane flying over northern Canada before turning south toward New York.
The 59-year-old pilot, who had worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007, passed a medical examination last March, during which no health problems were discovered, Ustun wrote.
“May God have mercy on our captain and patience with his family, colleagues and loved ones in their grief,” he said.
