A Turkish Airlines passenger who died inflight has mysteriously gone missing after the aircraft diverted to Chicago. Flight TK79 from Istanbul to San Francisco made an emergency landing at O’Hare on July 13 after the passenger suffered a fatal medical emergency over Greenland. The Airbus A350 was originally considering Keflavik but instead continued to Chicago for logistical reasons.
Once on the ground, the passenger’s body was reportedly removed from the aircraft. But now, confusion reigns over where those remains went.
Chicago’s Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office says it never received the body and was never notified. Turkish Airlines claims the remains were transferred onto a different flight to San Francisco, but officials say they have no record confirming that either.
The lack of documentation has alarmed both the victim’s family and authorities. IATA guidelines require that deceased passengers remain on board until a local authority formally receives the body, but that procedure appears to have broken down in this case.
What was meant to be a dignified handover has now become a missing persons case.
Once on the ground, the passenger’s body was reportedly removed from the aircraft. But now, confusion reigns over where those remains went.
Chicago’s Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office says it never received the body and was never notified. Turkish Airlines claims the remains were transferred onto a different flight to San Francisco, but officials say they have no record confirming that either.
The lack of documentation has alarmed both the victim’s family and authorities. IATA guidelines require that deceased passengers remain on board until a local authority formally receives the body, but that procedure appears to have broken down in this case.
What was meant to be a dignified handover has now become a missing persons case.
