A plane skidded off the runway Wednesday as it tried to land in bad weather in Istanbul, crashing into a field and breaking into pieces, killing one person and injuring dozens more. Passengers had to evacuate through cracks in the smashed plane.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said one person had died and 157 with injuries were taken to multiple hospitals. Three of the injured required surgery and two others were in intensive care, but none of their lives were thought to be in danger.
The low-cost Pegasus Airlines plane with 177 passengers and crew on board was arriving at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport from the western Turkish city of Izmir when it had what the Transportation Ministry described as a "rough landing."
Istanbul Gov. Ali Yerlikaya said the plane landed in bad weather, failed to "hold onto the runway" and skidded some 50-60 meters (yards) before crashing into a ditch from a height of some 30 meters.
"We are deeply saddened ... (But) we are very happy that we escaped a greater accident," he said, adding that the plane could have burst into flames.
First published: 17:59, 02.05.20