The tail section where Seref and Rumeysa Demirtas had been seated straddled a retaining wall. They could see the ground. IOLTravel
Istanbul - As their flight abruptly descended into Istanbul and hit the ground with a rumble, a Turkish couple tensed up. They soon relaxed when they heard a routine announcement telling passengers they could use their cellphones while the airliner raced down the runway.
But seconds later, the Pegasus Airlines plane plunged off the asphalt into a ditch and smashed apart, killing three people. The impact that ripped open the plane felt like an explosion. “That’s when the screams started,” Rumeysa Demirtas recalled from the hospital where her husband is being treated for a broken hip and shoulder. “People started jumping from the plane from that crack near us, first onto the wall, then to the ground, and running away.”
The crash-landing at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport on Wednesday evening killed three Turkish citizens. The remaining 180 passengers and crew members on board were injured when the 11-year-old plane, which came in amid strong winds and heavy rain, skidded off the runway and split into three pieces.
Seref Demirtas told The Associated Press he was nervous when he noticed how rapidly the plane made its approach to the airport and touched down “not gradually, but very quickly.”
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pegasus Airlines remains mum on what caused plane to split into pieces | IOL TravelDespite three dead and around 179 injured, Pegasus Airlines is mum about how its flight PC 2193 broke into three pieces after landing. IOLTravel
Read more »
FOR THE RECORD: No student hunger strike or shutdown threat at Wits | IOL NewsA story published on IOL on Wednesday morning about students of University of Witwatersrand (Wits) being on a hunger strike was incorrect.
Read more »
Airbnb horror stories: From porn movie sets to pop up brothels | IOL TravelAirbnb guests and hosts got themselves in lots of trouble. Here are the Top 10 worst Airbnb stories. IOLTravel
Read more »
Win a special Valentine's Day meal at Plaka in IOL's #MyHeart competition | IOLCOMPETITION: The PlakaSA team have put together a delicious and affordable set menu for you and your loved one to enjoy on February 14. MyHeart
Read more »
Roger Federer: It’s going to be quite emotional playing in South Africa | IOLThe 20-time Grand Slam singles champion arrived in the Mother City on Wednesday afternoon
Read more »