The aircraft had departed from Seattle on Tuesday evening, as reported by airline spokesman Yahya Ustun on X

“The pilot of our Airbus A350 flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed during the flight,” Ustun stated.

After an unsuccessful attempt to administer first aid, the flight crew, including another pilot and a co-pilot, decided to make an emergency landing.

However, the pilot unfortunately died before the plane could land.“

The 59-year-old pilot, who had been with Turkish Airlines since 2007, had passed a medical examination in March with no signs of health issues, the spokesperson added.