UPDATE 3 - Turkey: Plane skids off runway at airport in Istanbul

UPDATES WITH NUMBER OF INJURED; ADD FLIGHT NUMBER, DETAILS; CHANGES DECK, LEDE; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Erdogan Cagatay Zontur

ANKARA (AA) - A passenger plane on Wednesday skidded off the runway at an Istanbul airport, injuring 120 people, officials said.

The Pegasus Airlines plane with a flight number PC2193 was arriving from Turkey's Aegean province of Izmir at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport when it skidded off the runway during landing, Turkey’s Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Cahit Turhan said.

Television footage showed the plane separated from its fuselage after it burst into flames following the crash.

There are no casualties among 177 passengers including two children and six crew members, Turhan said.

"Our teams are currently evacuating the passengers," he added.

"According to the information we obtained, the plane ... drifted to the land as a result of the hard landing," said Turhan.

Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said 120 injured passengers were transferred to the nearby hospitals so far.

Most of the injured passengers are in good condition, Yerlikaya added.

Prosecutors in capital Ankara launched an investigation into the incident. The airport has been temporarily closed to air traffic.

Turkish Airlines also announced they have temporarily halted all flights to and from the airport.