Passengers felt the floor drop as a storm shoved a jet off a safe path—and the pilots chose a different runway, a different airport, and safety over schedule.
Story Snapshot
- A Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Tunisia hit severe turbulence during descent.
- Pilots attempted three approaches to Tunis-Carthage, then diverted.
- The aircraft landed safely after diversion to Enfidha-Hammamet, reports say.
- Passenger video captured screams, a sharp drop, and a shaken cabin.
Storm-tossed descent ends with a prudent diversion
A Turkish Airlines flight bound for Tunis on Thursday, September 10, 2026, fought violent weather on approach and diverted after three landing attempts. Severe turbulence during descent was reported, and the plane made a safe landing after the diversion.
A passenger said, “On the third attempt, we started to plummet,” describing a chaotic cabin as the aircraft battled the storm.
Passenger video circulated quickly. Clips show overhead bins rattling, passengers yelling, and a sharp jolt that many read as a drop. That fear tracks with the science of turbulence. Convective storms twist air into updrafts and downdrafts that can shove an airliner off a stable glide path.
When that happens near the runway, pilots abandon the attempt, climb, and set up again. That standard “missed approach” resets the geometry and buys time to weigh options with air traffic control.
Why three tries can be the safest path to “no”
Repeated approaches in storms are not stubbornness. They are structured checks. Crews compare runway wind, visibility, and wind shear alerts against clear rules. If a new window opens, they try again. If the window closes, they go around.
On the third attempt, conditions still failed to line up, so the crew diverted. Aviation safety guidance is explicit: when thunderstorm activity blocks safe clearance, detour or land at an alternate airport. That is not drama; that is duty.
Weather often forces diversions across the industry. Safety references list significant weather as a core reason to pick another airport and end the risk of unstable approaches.
Thunderstorms can break down a “stabilized approach,” which demands specific speed, descent rate, and alignment by a set height.
If any box is unchecked, the correct move is to go around and, if needed, divert. Pilots train for this outcome. Airlines plan fuel reserves for it. Regulators encourage it over schedule pressure.
Inside the cabin: fear is real, but procedure rules the day
Fear spread as the jet jolted. People screamed, prayed, and braced as the aircraft pitched through rough air. That human response deserves respect. Yet the facts point to a crew following the book. Reports cite stormy weather and poor conditions as the cause, not a mechanical fault.
The decision chain—attempt, reassess, go around, divert—fits the model taught worldwide. Skybrary’s overview of diversions frames this clearly: when reasons beyond the pilot’s control arise, land elsewhere.
A Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Tunis faced difficulties while attempting to land at Tunis-Carthage International Airport due to severe weather conditions. Flight TK 661 reportedly encountered strong turbulence during the approach. pic.twitter.com/eYIvqBeLhu
— PrakashTyagi (@PrakashTyagi127) September 15, 2026
Some outlets highlighted the “plummet” line. Sensational words travel fast. A better frame: the crew refused to force a landing. Protect lives, obey rules, and ignore the clock. The safe landing after diversion proves the logic.
Reports naming Enfidha-Hammamet as the destination close the loop: the airplane, crew, and passengers reached the ground without injury in a safer place, at a safer time.
Sources:
foxbusiness.com, mirror.co.uk, youtube.com, aljazeera.com, reuters.com
