Turkey has deported a correspondent with the New York Times as he tried to enter the country through Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, according to the newspaper.

Rod Nordland was sent back to London, where he had flown out of, on a flight from the same airport on Tuesday, the report said.

There was no immediate statement from the Turkish authorities. Turkish officials contacted by Al Jazeera on Wednesday declined to comment or said that they did not have any information.

Dean Baquet, executive editor of media organisation, denounced the deportation as unjustified and an affront to press freedom, according to the New York Times.

It appeared to be the first time a New York Times correspondent had been denied entry to Turkey, David McCraw, the news organisation's vice president and deputy general counsel, said.

Read more at Al Jazeera.