A Turkish Airlines pilot, Captain Ilcehin Pehlivan, died after collapsing mid-flight while flying from Seattle to Istanbul.
The 59-year-old fell sick during the journey, prompting the second pilot and co-pilot to take control of the aircraft, according to an airline spokesman on X.
Despite efforts to administer first aid, Captain Pehlivan could not be revived.
The crew made an emergency landing in New York, where passengers were rerouted to Turkey, reports BBC.
Pehlivan, who had flown with the airline since 2007, had passed a routine health check in March with no reported issues.
Turkey’s air traffic controllers' association expressed condolences to his family and colleagues for his years of service to the aviation community.