Reports confirm that a Turkish Boeing 737 operated by Pegasus Airlines skidded off the runway at Sabiha Gokcen airport in Istanbul, causing it to break into pieces. The incident occurred after the aircraft landed from Izmir.
NTV stated that the front of the plane, including the cockpit, was separated from the remainder of the fuselage, and a large fissure divided the rear of the aircraft, encompassing the tail section.
The Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced that three individuals lost their lives, and 179 sustained injuries. The flight was carrying 177 passengers and six crew members, according to Anadolu, the state news agency.
Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya revealed that the plane slid approximately 60 meters (200 feet) off the runway and then plummeted about 30-40 meters down a bank, largely due to adverse weather conditions. However, he emphasized that the situation could have been even more catastrophic.
The incident was captured on film, showing the aircraft fractured near the runway as emergency personnel evacuated passengers from the scene.
The Istanbul public prosecutor has initiated an investigation into the crash.