Passengers cried out in fear when severe turbulence jolted a Turkish Airlines flight during its descent into Tunisia. One traveler said the aircraft appeared to “plummet” after several attempts to land amid violent storms.
The flight had departed Istanbul and was nearing Tunis-Carthage International Airport on Thursday when deteriorating weather transformed an otherwise uneventful journey into a terrifying experience.
Passenger Marina Maiskaya posted video of the incident on Instagram. The footage shows travelers clutching their seats as the plane shudders, while screams can be heard across the cabin as the aircraft circles before trying to land.
“The flight itself was smooth, but things turned absolutely terrifying as soon as we began our descent,” Maiskaya wrote. “I have never in my life feared for my life like that — and my mom was with me, too.”
According to Maiskaya, the pilot made three attempts to touch down at the airport while navigating the storm.
“We were shaken violently each time, and on the third attempt, we actually started to plummet,” she said.
The plane was eventually diverted from Tunis-Carthage International Airport to Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport, roughly 60 miles south of Tunis.
Although the descent was frightening, the flight landed safely.
“We made it through safely — perhaps thanks to the Turkish Airlines pilots,” Maiskaya wrote.
