Istanbul Airport operator IGA starts repairing quake-hit Hatay Airport
Restoration work begins in quake-damaged Hatay Airport, Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 8, 2023. (AA Photo)


The Istanbul Airport operator IGA has dispatched teams to repair Hatay Airport in the country’s southeastern region after it was damaged in massive earthquakes.

With a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6, the earthquakes centered in the Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of nearby Kahramanmaraş province resulted in damage to the airport's runway and terminal building.

IGA is working quickly to restore the airport to operational status and resume flights.

The company has deployed 43 vehicles and over 300 volunteer personnel, in coordination with the Disaster and Management Authority (AFAD), to assist with the repair efforts.

Passenger flights to Kahramanmaraş, Hatay and Gaziantep airports were suspended after the quakes that affected 10 provinces, while Hatay Airport, whose runway was damaged because of the earthquake, was closed to all flights.

According to the latest official figures, the quakes left at least 7,108 dead and 40,910 injured in Türkiye.