Turkish Airlines passengers escape after emergency landing in Malta
Moroccan passenger in police custody following runway drama
Chaos erupted at Malta International Airport on Wednesday afternoon when four passengers escaped from a Turkish Airlines flight after an emergency landing.
The unscheduled landing was initiated due to a Moroccan passenger's medical condition, who is now in police custody at Mater Dei Hospital.
FlightRadar24 data reveals that Turkish Airlines flight TK619, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration: TC-LCI), was en route from Istanbul (IST) to Marrakesh (RAK). The flight took off at 8:56 AM UTC and landed in Malta at 11:02 AM UTC after flying for approximately two hours.
Manhunt underway
The escape occurred while the plane was stationed on the runway, prompting an immediate security response. Police were alerted at 1:45 PM, and a coordinated search operation involving the Armed Forces of Malta ensued. Authorities were combing the airport's perimeter and nearby areas for the missing passengers.
This incident triggered a full-scale security protocol at Malta’s busiest airport. Law enforcement and airport personnel intensified measures to locate the fugitives while ensuring the safety of other travellers. Investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances leading to the breach.
Later, the authorities managed to arrest two of the four escaped passengers.
The event in Malta bears a striking resemblance to past incidents involving Moroccan passengers escaping during emergency landings across European airports.
In May 2024, seventeen individuals fled from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport after a similar diversion caused by a medical emergency. A year earlier, a group of twenty-seven attempted to escape from Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, with fourteen successfully evading capture. Notably, Palma de Mallorca saw one of the most significant breaches in November 2021, where passengers fled from a diverted Casablanca-Istanbul flight.
European authorities are increasingly vigilant regarding flights on North Africa-Turkey routes. Heightened security protocols are in place to prevent such incidents from recurring, focusing on medical diversions that could serve as pretexts for unauthorised departures.