A Pegasus Airlines passenger jet flying in from the western city of İzmir veered off the runway after landing at Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport on Wednesday afternoon, leading to the death of three passengers and scores of injuries.

Footage published by Demirören News Agency later in the day showed the moments the plane skidded off the runway.

The Boeing 737-800's fuselage broke in three and caught fire. Firefighters and ambulances were dispatched to the scene immediately after the accident.

"Three evacuees have died of injuries, 179 others are being treated," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said in a statement.

The Boeing 737-800's fuselage broke in three and caught fire. Firefighters and ambulances were dispatched to the scene immediately after the accident.

The plane was carrying 171 passengers and six crew members, according to Transportation Minister Cahit Turhan. He said the accident was due to a "hard landing."

The airport, which serves much of Istanbul's Asian districts and the nearby industrial hub cities like Bursa, Kocaeli and Sakarya, has been temporarily closed to air traffic.

Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) announced that it was canceling all flights to and from the airport for the rest of the day.

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