A Turkish Airlines pilot passed away after collapsing during a flight, prompting the airline to make an emergency landing in New York, the airline announced on Wednesday.
The aircraft had departed from Seattle, located on the U.S. West Coast, on Tuesday evening, according to airline spokesperson Yahya Ustun, who shared the news on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The pilot of our Airbus 350… flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed during the flight,” he wrote.
“After an unsuccessful attempt to give first aid, the flight crew of another pilot and a co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing.”
The 59-year-old pilot, who had worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007, had passed a medical examination in March, which gave no indication of any health problems, Ustun wrote.