By M.D
Published 42 minutes ago, updated 42 minutes ago
The subway in Istanbul, Türkiye. OZAN KOSE / AFP
The drill disrupted traffic on the subway line that connects the airport with a district of downtown Istanbul.
A great shock for those responsible for the Istanbul subway. Surfing social networks, thousands of Turks were speechless on Friday when they discovered a disturbing video: we see a drill drilling into the ceiling of the subway tunnel directly above the line's rails. It even continues until it hits the rails before finally heading back up.
According to Turkish TV channel Sozcu, the drill was working near a subway line that connects Istanbul's central Mecidiyekoy district with the city's main airport. At around 11:30 a.m. on Friday, the construction company accidentally pierced the ceiling of the subway tunnel, damaging the train tracks. The catastrophe was narrowly avoided because the line's electrical system was switched off by safety mechanisms designed to respond to external influences.
In a press release, the Turkish Ministry of Transport assured that “no damage to the facility” was found and that the route “continued to operate as a single route in the opposite direction without any problems”, while the affected section was the subject of repairs. A ministry spokesman added that “repairs to the tunnel following the incident have been completed.”