Pegasus Jet Splits in Two After Veering Off Runway in Istanbul

A Boeing Co. passenger jet operated by Turkish discount carrier Pegasus Airlines split in two after veering off the runway as it landed in wet weather in Istanbul with 183 people on board.

Authorities said no-one was killed in the incident at Sabiha Gokcen airport on the Asian side of the city, with video footage showing passengers fleeing through gaps in the fuselage. The rear of the plane caught fire, while the front became detached and appeared to have come to a rest upside down.

Turkish Transportation Minister Cahit Turhan said in televised comments that emergency teams were evacuating the 177 passengers. The governor of Istanbul said 21 people were injured, according to state media.

The jet had flown from Izmir on Turkey’s Aegean coast, authorities said. A Pegasus spokeswoman said the narrow-body was a Boeing model, making it part of a fleet of 737-800 jetliners that the company operates alongside Airbus SE A320s. The -800 predates the 737 Max variant grounded worldwide after two fatal crashes, and has a generally good safety record.

Sabiha Gokcen airport was closed following the incident, with all incoming flights diverted to the new hub on the European side of Istanbul.