Plane dangles off cliff in Trabzon, Turkey
A Pegasus Airlines flight skidded off the runway after landing at Trabzon airport, hanging off a cliff with its nose just several meters from the Black Sea. All 168 passengers and flight crew left the plane uninjured.
Smooth takeoff, dramatic landing
The Pegasus Airlines flight from Ankara skidded off the coastal runway when it landed at Trabzon airport in northern Turkey on Saturday night. Images showed the plane hanging from the edge of a muddy cliff, with its nose meters from the Black Sea. In a statement, Pegasus said that its aircraft "had a runway excursion incident," but that all passengers and crew were unhurt.
Turkish officials investigate cause of accident
The plane, a Boeing 737-800, nearly plunged into the Black Sea when its wheels got stuck in the muddy slope. Trabzon Governor Yucel Yavuz said investigators were trying to determine what prompted the plane to skid off the runway. Some reports claimed it was most likely caused by a collision between the aircraft and an airborne animal.
No injuries despite plumes of smoke
Images posted by Turkish media showed plumes of black smoke coming from the trapped plane, suggesting a fire might have broken out on board. Passenger Yuksel Gordu told state media that it was a "miracle" all of the 168 people on board escaped uninjured. "We could have burned, exploded, flown into the sea," Gordu said.
Panic erupts on board
Another passenger, Fatma Gordu, told Turkey's Dogan news agency that panic erupted on board as the plane skidded off the runway and began sliding down the cliff: "We swerved all of a sudden. The front of the plane crashed and the back was in the air. Everyone panicked."
Trabzon airport closed for several hours
As officials scrambled to pull the plane back onto the runway, Trabzon airport was forced to remain closed for several hours overnight on Saturday. Flights eventually resumed early Sunday morning.