A Boeing 737 commercial aircraft which was operated by a Turkish pocket-friendly carrier, Pegasus Airlines which flew into Sabiha Gokcen International airport in Istanbul from Aegean port city of Izmir, Turkey on Wednesday skids off of the Runway as it tries to land under harsh weather conditions.
According to reports, at least 3 people lost their lives and 179 people suffered injuries. After skidding off of the runway the airline fell down a bank and split into three parts which led to the fire.
It is said that the plane was ultimately knocked off by the strung winds with the addition of heavy rainfall in Instanbul.
Fahrettin Koca, Health Minister, Turkey said that 3 Turks were killed and 179 were injured in this incident while addressing the reporters.
Mehmet Cahit Turhan, Transport Minister said “Some passengers evacuated the plane by themselves but others are stuck inside and our rescuers are working to free them” as he spoke to CNN-Turk Television.
According to the Turkish news agency, Anadolu, the place had 177 passengers and 6 crew members on board at the time of the crash. Country’s media reports claim that there were 12 children onboard the flight as well.
Ali Yerlikaya, Istanbul Governor said that the aircraft “slid some 60 meters” and then “fell about 30 – 40 meters” from a bank. He says that as the weather was very unfavorable, the accident “could have had more serious consequences”.
Turkish news channel NTV aired images of the aircraft which was not only damaged but there were flames inside. The flamers were later overpowered by the firefighters. Post dusk, footage on televisions showed that a lot many rescue workers had surrounded the aircraft wearing their high visibility jackets with flashlights in their hands.
Firefighters sprayed water on the severed body of the plane while many others were climbing the aircraft to rescue and search the cabin.
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As per NTV, Transport Minister, Turhan said that the place broke because of the “strong landing” at the Sahiba Gokcen airport in Istanbul.
The nose of the plane, including the cockpit, was completely sliced off from the majority of the fuselage. Another huge crack separated the tail of the aircraft.
As the aftermath of this incident, Sabiha Gokcen was closed down and all the flights were then redirected to Ataturk International airport, Istanbul’s main airport.
Sabiha Gokcen, which lies on the Asian side of Turkey’s commercial hub, was closed and flights were being redirected to Istanbul’s main airport. Istanbul was facing poor weather conditions throughout the Winters as strong winds and heavy rains led to the cancellation of numerous flights.
Istanbul Public Prosecutor has initiated an investigation in the crash of Pegasus Airlines’ flight.
According to DHA, a private news agency, the aircraft landed at 15:18 GMT (20:48 IST) at the airport.
In January of 2018, another one of Pegasus flight, a Boeing 737-800, slid off an embankment at the Trabzon Airport, Turkey and just stopped meters away from the water with the aircraft’s wheels trapped in the thick mud.
After working for 4 days, the plane was finally lifted and put back on the runway with the help of cranes. That time, all the passengers (162) and crew (6) members were evacuated safely.
Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to make Istanbul World’s top aviation hub and opened a mega airport in 2018. According to Pegasus Airlines’ website, the firm has been in business for 20 years and has 47 Boeings and 36 Airbus aircraft in its fleet.
