Businessman lands helicopter on public beach, drawing public anger

MUĞLA

A Turkish businessman has drawn public backlash on social media after he landed with his helicopter on a public beach in the Marmaris district of the southwestern province of Muğla.

“All the security measures were taken and we landed on the beach to have breakfast,” Temel Akçay has told daily Hürriyet, defending himself that they did nothing wrong.

According to the daily, a helicopter piloted by Akçay, the owner of a technology firm, landed on a beach in the Kumlubük bay in the morning of June 14, while people were sunbathing and swimming.

The footage showing the helicopter landing and Akçay disembarking with his family stirred reactions on social media.

Defending his action, Akçay said, “We gave the coordinates of the landing to the local airports administration and the gendarmerie the day before. A friend also cleared the area from people before our landing.”

He said a pilot can land the helicopter anywhere as long as he or she takes precautions.

The General Directorate of Civil Aviation found the businessman guilty, but not for landing on a beach.

“In this in incident, the error is not landing on a beach. The crime is disobeying the flight plan,” said the institution in a statement.

If found guilty, Akçay may lose his license to fly a helicopter.

The businessman said his family loved flying and added he was one of the six civilian helicopter pilots in Turkey.

He said his wife was also a pilot.