Holidaymakers swelter in 52C heat on Boeing plane after air conditioning failure - as doctor begs pilot to turn back warning 'children will die'

Terrified holidaymakers were left fearing for their safety onboard a plane, after they were trapped in a cabin that reached a sweltering 52C. 

The air-conditioning unit on the Mavi Gok Airlines Antalya-Muenster flight, a Boeing 737-800, from Turkey to Germany on June 6 broke before take-off, leaving passengers terrified that their 'children will not make it.'

The plane sat on the hot tarmac for nearly an hour, raising temperatures even higher. 

Dominik Janssen, from Leer in Lower Saxony, who was travelling with his family back home after a break in Turkey, told German media: 'When we got on, we immediately noticed how hot it was in the plane.'

His wife Nancy said she helped a five-month-old baby who she fanned in a bid to keep the tot cool.

Dominik said: 'The children were getting louder and louder, everyone's water was running. The situation was very precarious.

'A father and a woman were scared to death for their children. The panic spread to everyone.'

According to the passengers, there was little help from the crew. Instead, flight preparations continued and the Boeing rolled towards the runway.

A Turkish-speaking doctor addressed the crew with a dramatic appeal, with Nancy saying: 'He said that if we take off now, the children will not survive.'

The pilot of Flight 4M413 eventually returned to the terminal at the airport, but things hardly improved there either.

Dominik said: 'The airline offered no help whatsoever.'

They reportedly did not even hand out any water.

In a statement, the airline said: 'The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is our highest priority.'

It also reportedly promised to work with the relevant authorities to prevent such incidents in the future.

MailOnline has contacted Boeing for comment.