Passenger plane teeters on cliff edge after skidding off runway in Turkey

Passenger plane teeters on cliff edge after skidding off runway in Turkey

A passenger jet was left teetering on a cliff edge after skidding off the runway at an airport in northern Turkey.

Dramatic images show the white aircraft dangling precariously on the steep, muddy cliff face against the backdrop of the clear waters of the Black Sea.

Image: The aircraft crashed off the runway after landing in the Turkish province of Trabzon

"We tilted to the side, the front was down while the plane's rear was up. There was panic; people shouting, screaming," one of the passengers, Fatma Gordu, told state-run news agency Anadolu.

All 162 passengers and crew, who were on board the aircraft when it overshot the runway on Sunday, were evacuated safely by emergency services. No one was hurt.

Image: All passengers and crew were evacuated safely

The Pegasus Airline's Boeing 737 was flying from the Turkish capital Ankara to Trabzon Airport.

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It is not yet known what caused the plane to skid off on to the cliff face.

Image: The plane was stuck in mud on the cliff face

The local governor, Yucel Yavuz, said an investigation had been launched into the incident - which Pegasus Airlines described in a statement as a "runway excursion".

The airport, situated in the Turkish province of the same name, was closed for several hours afterwards but has since reopened.

Image: An investigation has been launched into the incident

Social media users reacted to the footage of the crash, with some saying it was "incredible it stopped where it did".

"How lucky are those passengers!" wrote one person on Twitter.</s>A Pegasus Airlines flight skidded off the runway of a Turkish coastal airport and ended up halfway down a steep slope into the Black Sea, but no passengers or crew were hurt, Turkish media reported on Sunday.

A Pegasus Airlines flight skidded off the runway of a Turkish coastal airport and ended up halfway down a steep slope into the Black Sea, but no passengers or crew were hurt, Turkish media reported on Sunday.

The incident happened on Saturday night at Trabzon airport in northeast Turkey. Pictures from the site showed the plane's nose close to the water's edge.

Pegasus Airlines said in a statement that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, flying from Ankara to Trabzon, "had a runway excursion incident" as it landed but the 162 passengers, two pilots and four cabin crew were unhurt.

A Pegasus Airlines aircraft is pictured after it skidded off the runway at Trabzon airport by the Black Sea in Trabzon, Turkey, January 14, 2018. Muhammed Kacar/Dogan News Agency via REUTERS

PA Media</s>ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — In a story on Jan. 12 about a travel advisory warning Turks traveling to the United States, The Associated Press quoted a Turkish Foreign Ministry regarding an incident at Ohio University. In November 2016, a student at Ohio State University, not Ohio University, intentionally drove a car into pedestrians on campus and attacked people with a knife. A corrected version of the story is below:

Turkey tells citizens to reconsider travelling to US

Turkey has warned its citizens about traveling to the United States, in retaliation for a new U.S. travel advisory about Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey on Friday cautioned its citizens about traveling to the United States, in retaliation for a new U.S. travel advisory that warned Americans about terror threats and arbitrary detentions in Turkey.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the U.S. travel warning "unfairly" portrayed Turkey as an unsafe country and did nothing to improve frayed ties between the NATO allies.

"Ankara is as safe as Washington, Istanbul is as safe as New York," Yildirim said.

The Turkish travel advisory urged citizens to reconsider travel plans to the United States, citing a series of terror attacks and violent incidents, including in Charlottesville, at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and at a mosque in Minnesota.

It also warned about "arbitrary arrests" in the U.S. — an apparent reference to a Turkish banker who was arrested in the U.S. and convicted of helping Iran avoid U.S. sanctions.

The travel warning came a day after the United States urged its citizens to reconsider travel to Turkey, saying "terror groups continue plotting possible attacks in Turkey." It also cited the risk of arbitrary detentions under an ongoing state of emergency "based on scant or secret evidence and grounds that appear to be politically motivated."

Ties between the allies have deteriorated over what many in Turkey perceive as a U.S. reluctance to extradite U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for a 2016 failed coup attempt. Gulen denies any involvement, and U.S. officials say the legal process is still ongoing.

Turkey is also angered at U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish militia that it considers to be "terrorists." The trial of the Turkish banker has also heightened tensions.

The U.S. last year temporarily suspended visa services to Turkish citizens following the arrest of a local Turkish employee of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>In an unprecedented move, on January 14, Sunday, a Pegasus Airlines flight slued off the runway of a Turkish coastal airport, which landed up appallingly halfway down a steep slope into the Black Sea, which created panic among the passengers, however, no passenger or crew were hurt as per the reports by Turkish media. The plane stopped just a few metres away from the sea.

The horrific incident happened on Saturday night at the Trabzon airport, which is located in the Northeast part of Turkey. Amid the hue and cry, Trabzon governor, Yucel Yavuz said all the 162 passengers and the crew on board were immediately evacuated from the plane. The governor said, the cause of the accident yet remains ambiguous and the airport was closed till 8 am local time.

Pegasus Airlines said that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which departed from Ankara, on late Saturday “had runway excursion incident”, as it landed, nonetheless, 162 passengers, 2 pilots and 4 cabin crew remained unhurt. Pictures from the site showed the plane’s nose close to the water’s edge. The video and as well as the video posted on social media have been transcending and are shooting on social media immensely, the incident depicts a major aviation disaster. Pegasus Airlines is a Turkish budget airline based in the Kurtkoy area of Pendik, Istanbul.</s>ISTANBUL (AP) - A commercial plane that skidded off a runway after landing in northern Turkey dangled precariously off a muddy cliff with its nose only a few feet from the sea.

Some of the 168 people on board the Boeing 737-800 described it as a "miracle" that everyone was evacuated safely.

Images show the aircraft on its belly and at an acute angle just above the water. If it had slid any further along the slope, the plane would have likely plunged into the Black Sea in the Turkish province of Trabzon.

A Boeing 737-800 of Turkey's Pegasus Airlines after skidding off the runway downhill towards the sea at the airport in Trabzon, Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. Trabzon Gov. Yucel Yavuz said all 162 passengers and crew on board were evacuated and safe early Sunday. The cause of the accident was not yet known. (DHA-Depo Photos via AP)

The incident late Saturday created panic among the 162 passengers on board Pegasus Airlines Flight PC8622. The six-member crew, including two pilots, was also evacuated and Pegasus said there were no injuries. Flights were suspended at Trabzon Airport for several hours after the incident before resuming again Sunday.

Passenger Yuksel Gordu told Turkey's official Anadolu news agency that words weren't enough to describe their fear.

"It's a miracle we escaped. We could have burned, exploded, flown into the sea," Gordu said. "Thank God for this. I feel like I'm going crazy when I think about it."

Another passenger, Fatma Gordu, told private Dogan news agency that there was a loud sound after landing.

"We swerved all of a sudden," she said. "The front of the plane crashed and the back was in the air. Everyone panicked."

Trabzon Gov. Yucel Yavuz said that investigators were trying to determine why the plane had left the runway. The prosecutor's office launched an investigation.

The flight originated in the capital, Ankara.</s>(DHA-Depo Photos via AP). A Boeing 737-800 of Turkey's Pegasus Airlines after skidding off the runway downhill towards the sea at the airport in Trabzon, Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. Trabzon Gov. Yucel Yavuz said all 162 passengers and crew on board ...

ISTANBUL (AP) - A commercial airplane that skidded off a runway after landing in northern Turkey dangled precariously Sunday off a muddy cliff with its nose only a few feet from the Black Sea.

Some of the 168 people on board the Boeing 737-800 described it as a "miracle" that everyone was evacuated safely from the plane, which went off a runway at Trabzon Airport.

Images show the aircraft on its belly and perched at an acute angle just above the water. If it had slid any further along the slope, the plane would have likely plunged into the sea in the Turkish province of Trabzon.

Pegasus Airlines said no one was injured during the incident late Saturday, despite the panic among the 162 passengers on board Flight PC8622. The six-member crew, including two pilots, was also evacuated. Flights were suspended at Trabzon Airport for several hours before resuming again Sunday.

Passenger Yuksel Gordu told Turkey's official Anadolu news agency that words weren't enough to describe the fear on the aircraft.

"It's a miracle we escaped. We could have burned, exploded, flown into the sea," Gordu said. "Thank God for this. I feel like I'm going crazy when I think about it."

Another passenger, Fatma Gordu, told private Dogan news agency that there was a loud sound after landing.

"We swerved all of a sudden," she said. "The front of the plane crashed and the back was in the air. Everyone panicked."

Trabzon Gov. Yucel Yavuz said investigators were trying to determine why the plane had left the runway. The prosecutor's office launched an investigation.

The flight originated in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Airport officials would not discuss the status of plane Sunday and whether it had been towed off the slope.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>A passenger jet was left teetering on a cliff edge after skidding off the runway at an airport in northern Turkey.

Dramatic images show the white aircraft dangling precariously on the steep, muddy cliff face against the backdrop of the clear waters of the Black Sea.

"We tilted to the side, the front was down while the plane's rear was up. There was panic; people shouting, screaming," one of the passengers, Fatma Gordu, told state-run news agency Anadolu.

All 162 passengers and crew, who were on board the aircraft when it overshot the runway on Sunday, were evacuated safely by emergency services. No one was hurt.

The Pegasus Airline's Boeing 737 was flying from the Turkish capital Ankara to Trabzon Airport.

It is not yet known what caused the plane to skid off on to the cliff face.

The local governor, Yucel Yavuz, said an investigation had been launched into the incident - which Pegasus Airlines described in a statement as a "runway excursion".

The airport, situated in the Turkish province of the same name, was closed for several hours afterwards but has since reopened.

Social media users reacted to the footage of the crash, with some saying it was "incredible it stopped where it did".

"How lucky are those passengers!" wrote one person on Twitter.</s>A commercial plane that skidded off a runway after landing in northern Turkey dangled precariously off a muddy cliff with its nose only a few feet from the sea.

Some of the 168 people on board the Boeing 737-800 described it as a “miracle” that everyone was evacuated safely.

Images show the aircraft on its belly and at an acute angle just above the water. If it had slid any further along the slope, the plane would have likely plunged into the Black Sea in the Turkish province of Trabzon.

The incident late Saturday created panic among the 162 passengers on board Pegasus Airlines Flight PC8622. The six-member crew, including two pilots, was also evacuated and Pegasus said there were no injuries. Flights were suspended at Trabzon Airport for several hours after the incident before resuming again Sunday.

Passenger Yuksel Gordu told Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency that words weren’t enough to describe their fear.

“It’s a miracle we escaped. We could have burned, exploded, flown into the sea,” Gordu said. “Thank God for this. I feel like I’m going crazy when I think about it.”

Another passenger, Fatma Gordu, told private Dogan news agency that there was a loud sound after landing.

“We swerved all of a sudden,” she said. “The front of the plane crashed and the back was in the air. Everyone panicked.”

Trabzon Gov. Yucel Yavuz said that investigators were trying to determine why the plane had left the runway. The prosecutor’s office launched an investigation.

The flight originated in the capital, Ankara.</s>Passengers on a Pegasus Airlines flight had a narrow escape after the Boeing 737-800 plane skidded off the runway at Trabzon Airport in north-east Turkey on Saturday, leaving it stuck halfway down a steep slope facing the Black Sea. According to reports, the plane had flown in from Ankara and went off the tarmac after landing in Trabzon. No injuries were reported among the 162 passengers and six crew members in the accident.</s>A passenger jet carrying 168 people came within metres of plunging into the sea after it skidded off an icy runway as it landed at a Turkish airport.

Panic spread through the Boeing 737-800 as it stopped at the edge of the Black Sea - with its nose dangling precariously off a cliff edge.

Luckily, flight PC8622's wheels became stuck in icy mud as it left the runway at Trabzon Airport, which may have preventing it from entering the sea.

Pegasus Airlines confirmed in a statement there were no injuries among the 162 passengers onboard as well as two pilots and four cabin crew after they were evacuated.

Shocking footage from inside the Pegasus plane taken just moments after the crash shows passengers evacuating as women and children are heard crying out in fear.

The aircraft's left jet engine was also ripped from its wing during the crash.

Bodies fill the central aisle of the aircraft and stewards can are heard addressing passengers over a loud speaker system.

The dramatic footage appears to show smoke billowing from the cabin.

Another clip taken from outside the aircraft shows fire services dousing the plane with jets of water.

However, from the video there is no suggestion of there having been a fire. More footage shows passengers gathering under the wing of the plane on the steep slope down to the water.

The flight departed from Ankara, Turkey's capital, on Saturday evening. But on landing at Trabzon Airport, just under 90 minutes later, the plane left the runway.

Pegasus Airlines is a Turkish budget airline based in the Kurtköy area of Pendik, Istanbul.

One of the passengers, Fatma Gordu, said panic erupted onboard during the landing.

'We tilted to the side, the front was down while the plane's rear was up. There was panic. People shouting, screaming,' she told state-run news agency Anadolu.

The airport was temporarily shut before reopening on Sunday morning

Trabzon Airport shut and flights were delayed and cancelled as passengers from the flight were evacuated.

Trabzon governor Yucel Yavuz confirmed that all of the passengers and crew on board escaped uninjured, saying: 'We've taken all necessary measures. We will reopen the airport to air traffic as soon as possible'.

He added that a crisis desk had been set up at the airport. Flights have now resumed in and out of Trabzon.
A Pegasus Airlines flight from Esenboğa International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, departs the runway of Trabzon Airport in northern Turkey upon landing. All 162 passengers, two pilots, and four cabin crew evacuated the aircraft, a Boeing 737, unharmed. The local government launched an investigation into the incident.