UK updates Turkey travel advice after explosion at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport

ISTANBUL

Cihan Photo

The United Kingdom’s travel advice to Turkey was updated to include an explosion at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport that killed one and wounded another, British Ambassador to Turkey Richard Moore has announced on his Twitter account.

“Working to establish with Turkish authorities a clear picture of what happened & the current situation. Our Turkey Travel advice has been updated accordingly,” Moore tweeted, while expressing “concern” over the incident. 

“My condolences to family of cleaner killed and wish speedy recovery to her colleague,” Moore added.

One cleaning staff member was killed early Dec. 23 at the airport on Istanbul’s Asian side, in an explosion whose cause has yet to be determined, while another was wounded. 

“An explosion whose cause remains undetermined took place on the apron of Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 2:05 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2015,” Pegasus Airlines announced in a written statement. 

“Two fellow janitors who were inside a Pegasus aircraft at the time of the incident were wounded in the explosion and transferred to a hospital. There were no passengers inside the boarding bridge or inside our plane,” the statement added. 

The travel advice warns U.K. citizens against travelling within 10 km of Turkey’s border with Syria and to southeastern provinces of Şırnak, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Kilis and Hatay. The advice was updated to include information on the incident at the Sabiha Gökçen Airport, while explaining the airport is operational.

“There were reports of an explosion at Sabiha Gokcen airport in Istanbul at around 2 a.m. on Dec. 23. The circumstances of the incident are currently under investigation. The airport remains open,” the statement said.