Istanbul, Feb 6 (IANS) A plane slided off the runway shortly after landing at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on Wednesday, Istanbul governor Ali Yerlikaya said, noting that 52 people were injured.
The plane broke into three pieces.
Yerlikaya said at a tweet that the fire brigade teams and rescue workers were immediately dispatched to the scene and the injured passengers were quickly sent to nearby hospitals.
The evacuation process is still going on, he noted, adding that there were 171 passengers and six crew members on the plane.
The Haberturk broadcaster said a Boeing 738 airplane with Turkey’s Pegasus Airlines skidded off the runway after departing from the western city of Izmir, and the airport was closed to air traffic.
Video footage aired by Haberturk showed the front part of the plane was torn apart, and a fire erupted on the plane.
–IANS
rt/