Pegasus’ plane slides off runway in Istanbul, splits in half and bursts in flames

Twenty one people are injured after a plane has skidded off a runway in Istanbul, split in two and burst into flames.

The Boeing 737-800 appears to have skidded in wet weather at Istanbul’s airport in Turkey.

Turkish officials say 21 were injured in the incident.

Footage shows serious damage to the fuselage, with passengers being evacuated through the cracks caused by the impact.

It is thought the plane, carrying 177 passengers and six crew members according to Turkish media, was coming in to land at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport flying from Izmir, Turkey.

Turkey’s transport minister Cahit Turhan said no fatalities have been reported at this stage.

Istanbul’s Governor Ali Yerlikaya has since said 21 people were injured and victims of the incident are still being evacuated off the runway and into hospitals.

Emergency response team are evacuating passengers from the wreckage, he wrote on Twitter.

All flights to Sabiha Gökçen have been directed to Istanbul Atatürk Airport.

A spokeswoman for Pegasus Airlines confirmed the crash.

Firefighters and emergency service personnel are at the scene of the crash.

İzmir'den İstanbul'a gelmekte olan Pegasus'a ait yolcu uçağının parçalandığı ve pistten çıktığı öğrenildihttps://t.co/LxiGQRpkP6 pic.twitter.com/8ar8Y04oeU

— T24 (@t24comtr) February 5, 2020

Pictures from the scene show firefighters dousing the fuselage in water.

An aircraft expert speculated that the wet weather may have caused the incident.

Turkey’s Pilots Association President Necmi Ekici said the incident may have occurred because there was no time to clear the water accumulated on the runway, according to Turkish media.

#sabihagökçen havalimanında izmir-istanbul seferini icra eden pegasus uçağı pistten çıkarak yola savrulmuştur. İnşallah bir can kaybı olmamıştır.
Tüm yolculara geçmiş olsun.

Elazığ-Malatya-Van-İstanbul

Rabbim ülkemizi cümle kaza beladan sıkıntıdan muhafaza eylesin. pic.twitter.com/KgLXFihybD

— HAKTAN (@tokadikebir) February 5, 2020

It is reportedly the second time in a month that a passenger plane of the same company has skidded off the runway at Sabiha Gokcen Airport.

The airport has been closed and an investigation launched.