Severe weather outbreak in Antalya, Turkey, over the weekend did not spare the city’s airport. Video footage emerged on January 26, 2019, showing a tornado descending over the airport apron, toppling buses, damaging planes and injuring people on site.
Reports indicate that up to five tornados accompanied by severe winds and hailstorms swept through the city center and surrounding areas of Antalya, a city resort on the southern Turkish coast, since January 23, 2019.
One tornado hit the Antalya Airport (AYT) on January 26, 2019, causing considerable damage to vehicles and aircraft. Images and video footage released by witnesses on the ground show debris being hurled over the tarmac, with airport buses and parked jets being shoved by the powerful winds in the vicinity of the vortex.
Picture of the Tornado at Antalya Airport, Turkey, which caused severe damage to the airfield and aircraft pic.twitter.com/pkISMDXASX
— Flight Alerts (@FlightAlerts_) January 26, 2019
#Tornado in Antalya, Turkey this morning, January 26 – one of what appears to be up to 5 tornadoes to hit the region today! Report: Saban Dede pic.twitter.com/kTKVs6SEeZ
— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 26, 2019
VIDEO: A tornado sweeping across Antalya Airport, Turkey pushing around several parked aircraft. pic.twitter.com/AzYDFwpIsX
— JACDEC (@JacdecNew) January 26, 2019
At least one airport bus was left overturned and several parked aircraft were displaced by the storm, images released by Turkish news agency Hürriyet indicate. One aircraft, an Airbus A321 belonging to Onur Air has suffered damage to its nose. Another, A Boeing 737 MAX 8 (TC-MKS) of Corendon Airlines was hit by a ground services vehicle. Other aircraft seen in the footage include jets operated by SunExpress and Germania airlines.
There are several news of a tornado at Antalya Airport which caused damage to some aircraft. 8-10 injuries reported until now. A bus was overthrown.
Video of tornado: https://t.co/EqdbcOlTX4 pic.twitter.com/kWlBf0uFIP
— Turkish Air News (@AnalystTK) January 26, 2019
Multiple aircraft were seriously damaged by a violent storm that was sweeping across the tarmac at Antalya Airport (LTAI), Turkey. Flying debris and ramp equipment impacted aircraft resulting in further damage. @BilgiEfsane1 https://t.co/NXUTlrnxhd pic.twitter.com/6cRKUqcH2S
— JACDEC (@JacdecNew) January 26, 2019
A total of 12 people were reported injured in one of the airport buses. “A tornado has swept through the airport and turned over a bus that was transferring passengers to a plane. Hurricane wind lifted an airstair into the air, which has damaged a plane. As a result, 12 people were injured,” the Antalya province governor, Münir Karaloğlu told the Turkish broadcaster NTV.
The full extent of the damage to aircraft and infrastructure, however, is not yet known.
