ISTANBUL: At least 120 people were injured when a Pegasus Airlines planeflying into Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport skidded off the end of the wetrunway and broke into three pieces after landing on Wednesday, Governor AliYerlikaya said.
Yerlikaya said the plane was carrying 171 passengers and six crew from thewestern province of Izmir. Emergency response teams took the wounded tohospitals in the area, he said, and broadcaster NTV reported that bothpilots were critically injured.
“The plane could not hold on the runway due to poor weather conditions andskidded for around 50-60 meters,” Yerlikaya told reporters at the airport,adding that emergency teams were trying to rescue the last woundedpassenger.
The plane split into three pieces after what Yerlikaya said was a drop ofaround 30 to 40 meters at the end of the wet runway. Footage showed theplane landing and continuing at a high speed off the runway.
Transport Minister Cahit Turhan said flights waiting to land in SabihaGokcen had been diverted to Istanbul Airport.
Pegasus said in a statement the plane had gone off the runway and thatpassengers were being evacuated. A spokesperson for the company did notprovide further details.
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NTV reported that the plane had attempted to land in heavy tail-windsdespite the previous two flights holding off due to the wind.
Television footage showed the plane’s fuselage, as well as a section of itnear the tail, had broken off. Passengers were being led out as the planelay on a patch of grass next to the runway. Dozens of emergency responsepersonnel took passengers out of the plane and carried them away onstretchers.
Earlier footage showed part of the exterior of the plane had caught onfire, which state media said was extinguished by firefighters at the scene.
Turkish Airlines said it had cancelled all its flight in and out of SabihaGokcen for the day. -APP/AFP
