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The Pegasus Airlines jet appears to have broken into three pieces after skidding off the runway at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, February 5, 2020. Video: IHA
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Three people have died and 179 were injured when a Pegasus Airlines commercial jet made a “hard landing” and skidded off the runway at Turkey’s Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on Wednesday, according to health officials.
The budget carrier, which took off from Turkey’s coastal city of Izmir, had 183 people on board when it left the runway at Istanbul and broke into three pieces.
“According to the information we obtained, the plane ... drifted onto the land as a result of a hard landing,” said Turkish Transport Minister Cahit Turhan, state-owned media outlet Anadolu reports.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters: “So far 157 injured [people] have been hospitalized. One of our citizens died.”
Earlier reports said the jet was carrying 177 people and around 50 people had been injured.
However, Istanbul governor Ail Yerlikaya revised the figure in a tweet, stating the plane was carrying 183 people – 175 passengers, including two children, and six crew.
“According to figures [we have received from the] local health directorate, 139 injured [people] have been moved to 18 separate hospitals,” he said.
Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident and the airport has been temporarily closed to air traffic.
Footage published by Turkish state media shows the plane had broken into three pieces.
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