Plane Left Dangling on Side of Cliff After Skidding Off Runway Due to Engine Surge
Passengers panicked as a commercial flight skidded off the runway at Turkey's Trabzon Airport and stopped just short of plunging into the Black Sea.
The Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737-800 veered off to the side of the runway and was left teetering dangerously on the cliff, with its nose facing the water below.
Investigators said Monday that the plane's right engine experienced a sudden surge of speed that forced it to swerve to the left.
The incident, which occurred late Saturday, gave the jet's 162 passengers quite the scare as videos surfaced of several people inside the plane after the unexpected turn. The airline said in a statement that all those on board disembarked safely.
The six-member crew, including two pilots, was also evacuated. Local prosecutors interviewed the crew members after the incident, and reportedly determined there were no signs that alcohol was involved in the incident.
Flights were suspended at Trabzon Airport for several hours before resuming again Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
Passenger Yuksel Gordu told Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency that words could not adequately describe the fear on the aircraft.
“It’s a miracle we escaped," Gordu said, according to The AP. "We could have burned, exploded, flown into the sea. Thank God for this. I feel like I’m going crazy when I think about it.”
On Monday, authorities at Trabzon Airport were making preparations to tow the plane off the slope, ABC News reported.
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing reports said.
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