Rachel NguThe Boeing 737-800 operated by Pegasus Airlines was reported to have skidded off the runway before breaking apart at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.
On 5 February 2020, the domestic passenger flight departed from Izmir and arrived at Istanbul at approximately 6.30pm local time. However, due to harsh weather conditions, the plane was unable to land smoothly, following which it crashed into a ditch. Of the 183 passengers and crew on board, 3 people were killed and 179 were injured. One person has yet to be unaccounted for.
According to reports, the aircraft was severely damaged. It broke into several sections, with the severed nose sustaining the worst damage. Passengers were evacuated through fissures in the aircraft body. The aircraft caught fire, but was later put out by firefighters.
Following the plane crash, departing flights from the airport were temporarily suspended, while incoming flights were diverted to Istanbul’s main airport.
Only less than a month ago, a similar accident involving Pegasus Airlines occurred at the same airport. The Boeing 737-800 skidded off the runway and ended its course in the grass alongside the runway. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported in this incident.
Also read: BREAKING: Boeing 737 Flight Crashes In Iran; All 176 Passengers Killed
