02.04.2026 14:24
Before the Istanbul-Sanliurfa flight at Sabiha Gokcen Airport, a person pointing at his brother said, "This is a suicide bomber, do not let him on the plane," which escalated into a crisis. After the matter was taken to court, the person who stated that he was "just joking" was sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison. If the decision is upheld, the defendant will go to prison.
The "live bomb" joke made on the plane preparing to fly from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Şanlıurfa has been taken to court. The court sentenced the defendant to 4 years and 2 months in prison on the grounds that it endangered flight safety.
"BOMB" JOKE TURNED INTO A CRISIS
In the incident that occurred on February 9, 2026, on flight VF 3222, a dialogue between two sisters quickly triggered a security alarm. One of the passengers pointed to her sister and told the cabin crew, "This is a live bomb, don't let her on the plane." Following this statement, the crew activated emergency security procedures.
PLANE EVACUATED, FLIGHT DELAYED BY 3 HOURS
Authorities evacuated all passengers from the plane, and security forces conducted a detailed search on board. No explosives were found during the inspections. However, due to the incident, the flight was delayed by approximately 3 hours, causing significant inconvenience to many passengers.
"JOKE" DEFENSE DID NOT SAVE THEM
The two sisters who were taken into custody stated in their testimonies at the police station that they used the statement as a joke. The individuals, released under judicial control, were also subjected to a one-year flight ban by the airline.
PROSECUTION FILED A PUBLIC CASE
Since the incident was not dependent on a complaint, the prosecution initiated an investigation ex officio. In the prepared indictment, a penalty was requested for the defendant for the crime of "preventing the movement of an air transport vehicle" under Article 223 of the Turkish Penal Code.
4 YEARS 2 MONTHS PRISON SENTENCE
In the first hearing of the case held at the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse, the court panel ruled that the defendant's actions endangered transportation safety. The panel sentenced the defendant to 4 years and 2 months in prison. If the decision is upheld by the appellate court, the defendant will go to prison.