Awful news.

The 59-year-old captain, Ilcehin Pehlivan, collapsed as the plane was in the air and despite efforts to revive him he sadly passed away before they were able to land.

The flight was en-route from Seattle to Istanbul before they made the emergency landing in New York.

It's been reported that the flight was around eight hours in when they made the decision to land at JFK.

An airline spokesman said: "The pilot of our Airbus 350... flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed during the flight.

"After an unsuccessful attempt to give first aid, the flight crew of another pilot and a co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing."

Captain Pehlivan had been a pilot for Turkish Airlines since 2007 and a recent health check found no problems that could affect his job.

The spokesman added: "We wish God's mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, all his colleagues and loved ones."

The cause of the pilot's death has not yet been confirmed.