- Flights at Misrata International Airport suspended after a private jet ran off the runway and caught fire.
- Officials said the crew survived; the aircraft carried three crew members and no fatalities were reported.
- Reports conflicted on cause, with engine fault and pilot error both cited as possible triggers.
Flights at Libya’s Misrata International Airport were suspended on September 14, 2026, after a private business jet veered off the runway during landing and caught fire. The incident also closed airspace in the area as emergency crews responded.
The Libyan Transportation Ministry said no crew members were killed. Officials worked to contain the blaze and inspect the airport before operations could safely resume.
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“no casualties reported among crew”
“control fire and ensure airport safety before resuming flights”
The aircraft carried three crew members, according to reports: two pilots and one flight attendant. They survived the accident, received first aid and were described as stable and not a cause for concern.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control while authorities checked the airfield. Technical teams also examined the aircraft and runway conditions amid the operational disruption.
The jet was identified as a Cessna Citation Latitude, reportedly registered TC-AKF. Several reports linked the aircraft to Turkish businessman Hamdi Akın, chairman of Akfen Holding, but the reports described that connection rather than establishing ownership.
The flight departed Istanbul Atatürk Airport at 05:45 a.m. The incident at Misrata was reported at around 10:07 local time.
Officials and an airport source gave different accounts of the landing
Libyan authorities said the aircraft made an emergency landing after a technical fault developed in one of its engines. The jet then left the runway and caught fire.
A source at the airport offered a different explanation, alleging pilot error. The source said the pilot approached with the wind instead of against it, causing a hard landing, a burst front tire and the fire.
“The pilot landed with the wind, not against it, causing the plane to hit the runway hard, its front tire to explode, and it to catch fire.”
The two accounts identify different possible triggers for the accident. One points to an engine malfunction; the other attributes the runway excursion to the landing approach and tire failure.
Reports also differed over whether anyone beyond the crew was aboard. One account said the aircraft was empty except for its crew. Other reports said it was traveling to Libya to collect passengers or may have carried a prominent figure.
One report named Ahmed Zubi Al-Aabous. Another identified the person aboard as محمد زوبى and said he was the brother of Abdul Salam Zubi, the deputy minister of defense in the Dbeibah government.
The conflicting passenger accounts stand alongside reports that no passengers were aboard. The flight had been described as a private business trip from Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport to Libya, with the aircraft scheduled to pick up passengers after arrival.
The departure time was also reported as 02:45 a.m. GMT, corresponding to 05:45 a.m. in the departure-time account. The airport halted flights while crews dealt with the fire and safety teams assessed the scene.
As of September 14, 2026, emergency crews remained engaged with the fire response and technical teams were examining the aircraft and runway conditions. The airport’s operations remained disrupted while those checks continued.
