Crimea-bound plane returns to Istanbul after airport crisis

ISTANBUL

A passenger plane en route to Crimea’s capital Simferopol is on its way back to Istanbul Atatürk Airport following reports that armed men had taken control of the airport in the city.

The plane, which reportedly belonged to the Turkish airline company Atlasjet, took off from Istanbul at 11:15 a.m.

Interfax-Ukraine news agency had earlier reported approximately 50 unknown gunmen carrying Russian flags had seized the airport in the early hours of Feb. 28.

Agence France-Presse reported the airport in Simferopol was operating normally despite the earlier report. Passengers had normal access to the airport on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast and were checking in for flights.

However, a dozen unidentified armed men could be seen outside the airport perimeter. They did not respond to questions about where they were from, the reports added.