The crew of flight TK619 suspected something was wrong when a passenger who went to the toilet shortly after departure did not leave for a long time.
ISTANBUL – A Turkish Airlines passenger plane en route from Istanbul to Marrakesh made an emergency landing in Algiers after a passenger died by suicide, the Turkish flag carrier said.
The crew of flight TK619 suspected something was wrong on Tuesday when a passenger who went to the toilet shortly after departure did not leave for a long time, the company noted.
After the toilet door was broken down, the crew tried to give the passenger first aid, but it did not help and the plane made an emergency landing in the capital of Algeria, the company said, adding that the aircraft continued its flight later.
According to Albawaba News, the flight had to make an emergency landing in Algiers, where medical teams were on standby. They later confirmed the death of the passenger.
Algerian authorities have confirmed that they have launched an investigation into the incident.
Turkish Airlines staff have also co-operated by making statements related to the tragic event.
The airline has extended its “deepest condolences over the unfortunate incident and is sharing this information with the public”.
“It declared that it is committed to dealing with such incidents quickly and responsibly,” the publication reported.
In other airline news, Turkish Airlines’ plans to fly direct to Melbourne, Australia, have encountered a few hurdles.
While speaking to Simply Flying, chairman Professor Dr Ahmet Bolat said: “Our growth is very sustainable and we are not a government airline, so growth has to be from our own business model and profits.
“That’s the reason we are not really announcing quickly we should fly to Melbourne and Sydney, it’s a matter of mathematics, it’s a matter of science and statistics.”
– SPUTNIK
