A maritime accident in the Aegean Sea results in significant injuries to the principal of Turkey's Pegasus Airlines and his wife

29.08.2023 - 08:56 / traveldailynews.com / Pegasus Airlines / Tatiana Rokou / Airlines

This incident could potentially have implications for the travel and hospitality industry, particularly for businesses focusing on safety measures and risk management in luxury travel experiences.

Ali Sabanci, Chairman of Esas Holding, the parent company of Turkey’s budget airline Pegasus Airlines, sustained injuries in a nautical mishap during a vacation in Greece, according to an official statement from Esas Holding on Friday. Vuslat Dogan Sabanci, his spouse and a prominent business figure, was also reported injured.

Although the holding company’s statement was scant on specifics, multiple media outlets indicated that the couple sustained severe injuries. The incident unfolded late Thursday near the Aegean island of Leros when the inflatable speedboat they were in en route to the shore from their yacht, met with an unfortunate collision against rocks.

A Greek coast guard statement said there were six people on the speedboat when it crashed – four Turkish nationals, one South African and one British national. All six were taken to a hospital on Leros and four of them were released the same night. A private ambulance boat took a Turkish man and woman to Turkey, the statement said, without identifying any of the patients.

Following immediate evacuation, both were transported to the neighboring Turkish holiday destination of Bodrum for initial medical care. Subsequently, Ali Sabanci, aged 54, was airlifted to a medical facility in Istanbul for further treatment. Vuslat Dogan Sabanci, 52, was transferred later to the same hospital.

Ali Sabanci hails from one of Turkey’s most affluent families but ventured out to establish Esas Holding, along with his father and sister. Since its acquisition of Pegasus Airlines in 2005, the company has transformed it into Turkey’s second-largest airline enterprise.

Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.