Misrata Airport Jet Fire
Misrata Airport Suspends Flights After Private Jet Catches Fire During Landing
Anonymous
Key Points
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The aircraft was identified in an early report as a Cessna 650, and Libya’s Transport Ministry said measures were being taken to reopen the airport.
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The jet departed Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport at 05:45 a.m. local time (02:45 GMT) on an empty ferry flight to collect passengers in Libya.
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Turkish media reported that the aircraft was owned by Turkish businessman Hamdi Akın, chairman of Akfen Holding.
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Some reports said the incident prompted closure of airspace in the region, in addition to the suspension of airport operations.
A private business jet caught fire after veering off the runway at Misrata International Airport in Libya, forcing the airport to temporarily suspend all flights. Albeu reported that the Cessna Citation Latitude was reportedly owned by Turkish businessman Hamdi Akın, chairman of Akfen Holding. The three crew members on board—a German pilot and two Turkish crew members—were not injured, and the aircraft was flying empty from Istanbul to pick up passengers.
Emergency crews quickly secured the site after the aircraft caught fire following the runway excursion. Mirror reported that airspace closure in the region accompanied the airport's flight suspension. Authorities are now working to assess damage to the runway and determine when operations can resume.
Engine Trouble Forces Jet Off Runway at Landing
The Cessna Citation Latitude (tail number TC-AKF) departed Istanbul's Atatürk Airport at 5:45 a.m. local time on a ferry flight—an empty positioning flight to collect passengers. AOL reported that the aircraft experienced an apparent engine problem while attempting to land at Misrata. The jet veered off the runway, lost control, and burst into flames upon impact.
Cedar News confirmed that all three crew members escaped the burning aircraft without injury. The incident immediately triggered airport authorities to close the runway and suspend all flight operations while emergency responders contained the fire and secured the area.
Turkish Businessman's Aircraft at Center of Incident
Turkish media identified the jet's owner as Hamdi Akın, a prominent Turkish businessman and chairman of Akfen Holding, a major construction and infrastructure firm. The aircraft appeared to be part of his private fleet used for business travel. An early report claimed a high-profile passenger was aboard, but most accounts confirm the ferry flight carried only crew with no passengers on board.
Airport Closure Disrupts Misrata Operations and Regional Airspace
The incident forced Misrata International Airport to temporarily close both its runway and surrounding airspace to air traffic. Cedar News reported that authorities suspended all flight operations while crews worked to clear debris and assess runway damage. Libya's Transport Ministry announced measures to reopen the airport once safety inspections were complete.
Investigators are now expected to determine the exact cause of the engine failure and runway overrun. Officials have not yet released a timeline for when normal airport operations will resume, though repair crews have begun working to restore the runway to service.
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