A Turkish Airlines plane travelling from Seattle to Istanbul was forced to make an emergency landing when its captain died mid-flight.
The plane was diverted to John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York when the 59-year-old man lost consciousness shortly after take-off.
The crew on board administered emergency treatment to the pilot, but he died before the aircraft landed. It is believed the co-pilot safely landed the plane.
Turkish Airlines named the captain as Ilcehin Pehlivan.
Spokesperson Yahya Üstün said Mr Pehlivan had worked at the airline since 2007 and had no known health problems. He also passed a medical earlier this year.
“We wish God’s mercy to our captain and patience to all his colleagues and loved ones, especially his grieving family,” he added.
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Arrangements are being made for the passengers to continue their journey from New York, the airline confirmed.
Flight tracking data showed the Airbus A350 took off from Seattle on Tuesday night before flying north over Canada. However, it then abruptly diverted south and landed at JFK just before 6am local time on Wednesday.
