THIS is the horrifying moment a jet plunges 130ft off the end of a runway and snaps into THREE leaving three dead and 179 injured.

Shocking snaps show the shattered wreckage of the Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737's fuselage and bloody passengers climbing from the carnage leaving most of those on board - including 12 children - injured in Istanbul.

21 Health teams and fire crews descend on the plane wreckage in the Turkish capital Credit: Getty Images - Getty

21 The force of the crash caused the plane to snap into three parts Credit: AP:Associated Press

21 Turkish armed police officer at the scene at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen Airport

21 Firefighters stand under one section of the shattered plane after it snapped into pieces Credit: AP:Associated Press

21 Part of the damaged engine lies next to the wreckage of the Boeing 737

The Turkish health minister Fahrettin Koca confirmed three fatalities as well as 179 people hurt in the "rough landing".

The jet, which was flying from the Turkish city of Izmir, crashed into a road after skidding off the runway at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen Airport with 177 passengers and six crew on board.

Television footage showed serious damage to the plane, with the fuselage appearing to be broken into three pieces at the airport.

Mr Koca confirmed the casualties after earlier reports of 52 people injured. They have been taken to 18 different hospital across the city.

He said: "Unfortunately, we had thee citizens who lost their lives.

"The number of patients in hospital is 179. The number of patients taken into intensive care units is six people.

"I can say that four patients underwent surgery."

Istanbul governor Ali Yerlikaya said that the plane had "slipped over sixty meters" after leaving the runway, before "falling from a height of 30 to 40 meters" from an embankment.

He added: "The accident could have had more serious consequences. The plane made a hard landing due to bad weather conditions."

NTV said it caught fire after skidding during wet weather but said the blaze had been extinguished.

The city had been battered by strong winds and rainfall throughout the day.

The airport was shut down and flights were being diverted to Istanbul's main airport.

21

21 The moment the jet plunges 130ft off the end of the runway Credit: Reuters/DHA

21 Terrifying picture shows massive crash in the plane

21 Six crew and 171 passengers are safely escorted from the jet but 52 suffered injuries Credit: Reuters

21 First responders arrive at the scene of the crash Credit: Reuters

21 At least 52 people were injured in the crash Credit: Getty Images - Getty

21 Shocking pictures show one of the three parts of the plane wreck Credit: Getty Images - Getty

Live television footage showed dozens of rescue crew members working around the flood-lit fuselage, including around the cockpit, which had flipped over.

According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the plane is a Boeing 737.

Horror images how blood-soaked passengers on a bus after surviving the crash.

The accident comes a month after another Pegasus plane skidded off the runway in Istanbul at the same airport.

There were no deaths or injuries in that incident on January 7.

It is rare for a fuselage to split open while pieces remain largely intact.

Bloodsoaked passengers have been evacuated from the jet Credit: Twitter

Passengers were covered with blood as they were led away from the wreckage Credit: Twitter

One man has blood on his chest and appears to be bleeding from his nose and mouth Credit: Twitter

Planes are designed to absorb impact forces in the bottom of the fuselage to improve the chances that passengers in the cabin above will survive.

In 2013, the tail of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 broke off after the jet hit a seawall during approach to San Francisco International Airport.

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Three people died, 49 were seriously injured and scores more suffered minor injuries, according to the U.S. accident report.

That same year, a Lion Air Boeing 737 split in two after landing in shallow water short of the runway in Bali, Indonesia.

All 101 passengers and seven crew members survived.

21 Emergency crew at the scene of the plane crash Credit: Getty Images - Getty

21 The plane slid off the runway and snapped in half

21 The fuselage snapped into three pieces and skidded into a road Credit: Getty Images - Getty

21 The tail end of the wreckage is seen by the roadside after skidding off the runway Credit: AFP or licensors

21 Bloodsoaked passengers have been evacuated from the jet Credit: Twitter

21 Passengers were covered with blood as they were led away from the wreckage Credit: Twitter

21 Videos circulating on social media show a fire inside the aircraft although the blaze was later put out by firefighters Credit: Universal News & Sport (Europe)

21 The plane snapped in half and burst into flames