Passengers aboard a Turkish Airlines flight were left shaken after their plane encountered severe turbulence while attempting to land during a violent storm. Video from the flight, which has gone viral on social media, captured terrified passengers screaming as the aircraft appeared to plunge.
Three Aborted Landing Attempts
The plane was travelling from Istanbul to Tunis when it hit severe weather as it approached Tunis-Carthage International Airport. Those on board described three terrifying attempts to descend, with the aircraft shaking violently before pilots aborted each landing attempt.
During the third attempt, passengers said the aircraft suddenly began to drop, sending panic through the cabin. Passenger Marina Maiskaya captured footage of the ordeal on her phone, showing the aircraft being battered across the sky by turbulence as travellers around her reeled in horror.
Passenger Account
“The flight itself was smooth, but things turned absolutely terrifying as soon as we began our descent,” Maiskaya said, as per the New York Post. “I have never in my life feared for my life like that — and my mum was with me, too.”
She continued: "We were shaken violently each time, and on the third attempt, we actually started to plummet." The terrifying experience left passengers convinced they could be in real danger, with one describing the moment as feeling as though the plane was beginning to plummet towards the ground.
Diversion and Safe Landing
Ultimately, the pilots decided it was too risky to continue towards Tunis, and the flight was diverted to Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport, roughly 60 miles south of Tunis. The plane landed safely there, and there have been no reports of injuries among those on board.
Passengers later praised the Turkish Airlines pilots for their handling of the dangerous conditions. "We made it through safely — perhaps thanks to the Turkish Airlines pilots," Maiskaya said. The Express has contacted Turkish Airlines for comment.
