One day in Turkey; second avalanche kills dozens of people, and a plane breaks apart after skidding off the runway
Turkey had a very saddening and busy day on Wednesday.
A second avalanche, -after the first one which barreled into a passenger van, knocking it off the road and down a steep slope, killing at least five people happened at the same place while the search efforts continue, and buried at least 33 rescuers. Soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and volunteer rescuers were among them.
The confirmed toll from the two slides in a mountainous area of Van Province climbed sharply through the day, reaching 38 dead, including 33 rescuers, and 67 injured, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (AFAD). Two people are in critical condition. It is unclear how many people remain buried under the snow.
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced that because of the adverse weather conditions around the area, rescue and search operations are stopped until the morning. The weather forecast predicted continued heavy snow, increasing the risk of more avalanches.
The other bad news of the day came from Istanbul. A plane belongs to Turkish budget provider Pegasus Airlines skidded off the runway at Sabiha Gokcen airport. One-hundred-twenty passengers, two in critical condition were injured, said Transport Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan. The plane was coming from Izmır, and the crash happened just after it landed according to initial reports. It caught fire, but the blaze was later extinguished.
Some of the passengers evacuated the scene off their own bat and transported to the terminal building by bus. The nose of the plane was utterly smashed, and efforts for rescuing pilots still continue. Broadcaster NTV reported that both pilots were critically injured.
Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said there were 177 people, including 171 passengers and six staff on board the plane, which was flying back to Istanbul from the western city of Izmir.
According to Flightradar24.com, the plane landed at 6.19 p.m. local time (10.19 a.m. ET). Weather radar showed a line of showers and thunderstorms moving through the area at the time of the incident.
