VIDEO: Cabin Screams, Pilot Aborts – Three Times

Passengers felt the plane drop, then heard the captain announce a diversion after three storm-tossed approaches to Tunis.

Story Snapshot

Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Tunis hit severe turbulence during descent.
The crew attempted three landings at Tunis-Carthage before diverting.
Video and passenger accounts describe a sudden drop and cabin panic.
The aircraft landed safely after diverting to Enfidha-Hammamet Airport, reports say.

Stormy Descent, Three Tries, One Prudent Decision

Turkish Airlines passengers bound for Tunisia on Thursday, September 10, 2026, endured a rough approach as storms battered the area around Tunis-Carthage International Airport.

Multiple outlets reported severe turbulence on descent, with the flight circling due to bad weather and crews attempting several approaches before calling off the landing.

A passenger said, “On the third attempt, we started to plummet,” capturing the shock many felt as the aircraft bucked and dropped in the unstable air.

Media summaries and reposted clips show a cabin filled with screams as the jet jolted hard, trays flew, and people braced for impact. The pilot then diverted.

Secondary reports identify the diversion field as Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport, where the aircraft landed safely and without further incident, underscoring that the crew prioritized a sure runway over a risky fourth attempt. That choice fits standard safety practice when thunderstorms, wind shear, or violent turbulence spoil a stable approach.

What Passengers Felt Versus What Pilots Must Do

Passengers felt the drop, saw panic, and heard people cry out. That is real fear, and it leaves a mark. But cockpit judgment runs on checklists, not adrenaline.

Aviation safety guidance treats diversions as a routine, smart response when weather chops up the final approach and a stable landing cannot be assured.

Regulators and training materials urge captains to break off approaches early and often in bad cells, then pick a safer field and end the flight there.

Crews also have to do fuel and terrain math under stress. Thunderstorms can close approaches, force holds, and burn precious reserve fuel. If the picture gets worse, the captain must divert before options shrink.

Why “Three Attempts” Sounds Scary But Signals Discipline

Reports consistently cite three landing attempts before the turn to Enfidha-Hammamet. To a shaken cabin, that can feel like failure. In flight operations, it can show restraint.

A missed approach keeps the aircraft within protected airspace and buys time to reset, confirm winds, and wait for a cleaner window.

When that window never opens, diverting ends the lottery. Safety literature stresses that repeated tries can trap pilots into pressing on; the wiser path is to break the cycle and go elsewhere.

That is exactly what happened here, according to the outlets that tracked the flight’s path. After weather kicked the jet around and foiled a stabilized approach, the crew chose a nearby airport and landed.

The story reads dramatic because phones capture screams, not cockpit calm. The outcome reads professional because everyone walked off the airplane.

The Weather Problem You Cannot Negotiate With

Thunderstorms, wind shear, and turbulent updrafts can flip a safe approach into a bad bet in seconds. No airline brand or schedule can bargain with that.

Aviation references define diversions as normal responses to conditions beyond the crew’s control, with significant weather right at the top of the list.

Safety guidance tells captains to avoid thunderstorm cores, keep clear of cells, and, if needed, detour or land at an alternate airport to keep passengers and crew safe.

TURBULENT LANDING 🛬: Passengers were heard screaming as severe turbulence rattled a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Tunisia on Thursday. The flight was bound for Tunis-Carthage International Airport but was diverted to nearby Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport due… pic.twitter.com/Ri61fFixWs

— FOX Weather (@foxweather) September 15, 2026

This flight’s arc—stormy arrival, three go-arounds, safe landing at a calmer field—tracks that playbook. Reports attributed the rough ride to poor weather rather than mechanical trouble, and social posts from major outlets echoed the same cause-and-effect chain.

One sentence of caution belongs here: some details, like the exact timing, rely on secondary reports. The central point does not shift. Weather ruled the day, and the crew respected it.