Amy Perez and Jonalyn Viray, who are on their way back to Manila after attending the "MMK Kwentuhang Kapamilya" event in Madrid with Charo Santos-Concio, were shocked to learn that the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul were they are supposed to land was bombed by three suicide bombers killing 36 people and wounding close to 150.
She said they were informed that their flight will be diverted to the nearby Izmir airport because of the incident. Turkey was supposed to be a stopover for Perez and other Filipinos bound for Manila.
"Napaupo lang ako at nagpasalamat ako sa Diyos na walang nangyari sa amin," Perez, who was on board Flight TK 1860, said in an interview over "Umagang Kay Ganda."
Perez, who is with her husband, Carlo Castillo, said they arrived at the Izmir airport at around 12 midnight in Turkey and was advised to stay inside the plane for security reasons. She also got the names of other Filipino passengers on the same flight and posted the list on her Instagram account.
Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said it appeared to have been an attack by Islamic State militants: "This attack, targeting innocent people is a vile, planned terrorist act."
Ataturk is Turkey's largest airport and a major transport hub for international travelers.
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