Panic erupted on board a passenger plane after it struck a pole so hard it ripped the cabin open.The Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 smashed into a ground radar mast while taxiing after landing at Antalya International Airport in Turkey on Thursday, June 11.
The impact was so severe that the mast collapsed and pierced the side of the aircraft, tearing through the fuselage and damaging the cabin interior.Terrified passengers watched as overhead storage compartments were dislodged and emergency oxygen masks deployed across several rows of seats. Shocking footage from inside the aircraft showed the masks hanging from the ceiling as stunned passengers awaited evacuation. The aircraft, operating as Turkish Airlines flight TK2430 from Istanbul, had landed normally and was making its way to its parking stand when the collision occurred. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and safely evacuated all 267 passengers and crew members.
One person is reported to have suffered minor injuries, while no life-threatening injuries were recorded.
In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of Transport said: “The plane entered the taxiway from the wrong lane after landing on our airport’s runway and collided with a ground radar mast on apron-1.
“After the passengers were evacuated and necessary checks were carried out, the aircraft was towed to the apron parking area.”
Dramatic footage showed stunned passengers leaving the aircraft via mobile stairs, with many stopping to film the extensive damage to the jet.
Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene to assist passengers as they disembarked.
Passengers later described the sound of the collision as “frightening” as the aircraft shuddered from the impact.
According to the Sun, one female passenger, who filmed the aftermath, said: “After landing, something broke off in the plane.”
Describing the chaotic scenes, she added: “The woman is hysterical. Even the skin of the plane was torn off… this metal thing, we ran over it.”
Holidaymakers reportedly faced delays of up to two hours collecting their luggage following the incident.
The damaged Boeing 777-300ER, registered TC-LKD, was later towed away for further inspections.
The 17-year-old aircraft, which had recently returned from a lease with IndiGo and was still operating in the carrier’s livery, suffered significant damage to its right wing and fuselage.
Turkish Airlines has launched a technical investigation into the incident, with the cause of the collision now under examination.
