Pilot dies in middle of flight to Turkey, forcing emergency New York City landing

A Turkish Airlines pilot died mid-flight, forcing the co-pilot into an emergency landing in New York City on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Flight 8JK landed safely shortly before 6 a.m at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to an FAA statement.

Pilot İlçehin Pehlivan, 59, “fainted during the flight” and when “medical intervention to our captain on the plane was ineffective,” the co-pilot opted to land, according to a statement from Turkish Airlines.

Unfortunately, “our captain lost his life before landing,” according to the airline. Pehlivan bad been with the airline since 2007.

The Airbus A350 took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 7:02 p.m. PT on Tuesday, according to the tracking service FlightAware, and was headed to Istanbul before the emergency unfolded.