A passenger jet carrying 162 passengers has slid off the runway at Turkey’s Trabzon Airport, coming to rest on a downward embankment mere metres from the lapping waters of the Black Sea.
The Pegasus Airlines plane, a Boeing 737-800, reportedly veered left after landing on the runway, which runs parallel to the Black Sea. The plane has subsequently travelled down a muddy embankment that borders the runway, coming to rest on a downward angle a short distance from the water’s edge.
Pictured: My actual nightmare. Credit: AAP.
Airline officials refused to confirm exactly why or how the plane came to careen off the runway at such a dramatic angle, only confirming the incident had occurred and describing it as a “runway excursion incident,” which is a remarkable piece of doublespeak.
All passengers on board the craft, along with the plane’s two pilots and four crew members, were removed from the vessel safely after a twenty minute wait. Passengers reported hearing a loud noise after the plane landed before it started shaking and then swung to the left.
The airport was closed until Sunday while officials cleared the scene, and local government authorities are investigation the incident.
Sincere apologies to any of you reading this who have planned flights to take in the next week or so.
Really, truly sorry.
