A Turkish Airlines flight headed to Istanbul from Seattle made an emergency landing in New York on Wednesday, after the captain died on board.
A spokesman for Turkish Airlines, Yahya Üstün, said the Airbus A350 had taken off from Seattle, on the west coast of the United States, and was heading to Istanbul. The pilot fainted during the flight, and after a failed attempt to provide first aid, the cockpit crew, which included two other pilots, decided to make an emergency landing, but the pilot died before landing.
Turkish Airlines confirmed that the 59-year-old pilot had successfully passed a regular medical examination in early March.
“As Turkish Airlines, we deeply feel the loss of our captain and extend our sincerest condolences to his bereaved family, colleagues, and all his loved ones,” Üstün said.