The "2024 Emergency Drill," which is required to be conducted annually by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), was held at Istanbul Airport.
The drill, coordinated by Istanbul Airport Operator IGA, was attended by observers from the Fire Prevention and Protection Association (FPPA), the European Confederation of Fire Protection Associations and ICAO.
According to the scenario of the drill, Istanbul Airport Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) and first aid teams intervened in a passenger plane that caught fire during landing, conducting the evacuation of passengers inside the aircraft.
Speaking to the press about the drill, Istanbul Airport ARFF Director Mehmet Çalışkan stated: "We conducted a drill as part of the emergency plan, which is required annually by national and international regulations for every airport. The drill was carried out with the joint efforts of airport internal elements, ground handling organizations, law enforcement, health and ARFF teams. It was a successful drill. We simulated a scenario of an aircraft that lost maneuverability, sliding during landing and initially coming to rest on its right wing, then tipping to the other side and catching fire completely on the left side. We had three seriously injured and 11 injured passengers inside the aircraft as part of our scenario. The injured, other passengers and aircraft crew were rescued and evacuated with the assistance of first aid teams. The firefighting teams simultaneously extinguished all fires on the aircraft and returned to their stations."
Türkiye's expansive Istanbul Airport secured the prestigious title of "Airport of the Year" for 2024, marking its fourth consecutive win, announced the airport operator IGA on Monday. The accolade adds to Istanbul Airport's previous recognitions as "Airport of the Year" by Air Transport News in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The awards, distributed across 14 categories, involved approximately 4,000 votes.
