Post by : Shakul
A Turkish Airlines flight encountered a tire fire upon landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Monday morning, leading to panic among passengers and a brief interruption of international flights at Nepal's primary airport. The fire broke out as the aircraft touched down on the runway. Swift action by emergency services contained the fire before it could escalate further.
The flight involved was TK726, arriving from Istanbul. Airport officials noted that the incident occurred around 6:45 am during the landing process. Emergency personnel quickly dispatched fire engines to the scene following the fire outbreak. Safety protocols were enacted immediately, facilitating the safe evacuation of all passengers via emergency exits.
A total of 277 passengers were aboard, including four children and 11 crew members, with some United Nations officials present as well. During the evacuation, a few individuals suffered minor injuries from panic and the emergency rescue effort, but fortunately, no severe injuries or fatalities were reported. Airport authorities confirmed that everyone was safely evacuated from the flight.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal indicated that the flight was also transporting cargo and human remains. Following the successful control of the fire, the aircraft remained on the runway, temporarily halting operations at Tribhuvan International Airport. Multiple international flights approaching Kathmandu were delayed until the runway could be cleared.
Impacted flights included Air India AI215 from Delhi, Air Arabia G9536 from Sharjah, flydubai from Dubai, Drukair from Paro, and various Nepal Airlines flights from Kuala Lumpur and Guangzhou. Authorities monitored the situation closely while safety inspections of the aircraft and runway were conducted by emergency teams.
Social media portrayed the urgent scene with videos capturing smoke and flames near the plane's landing gear as emergency vehicles surrounded it. Concerns arose online as footage depicted passengers exiting the aircraft through emergency slides. Officials reassured that the situation was under control and detailed investigations were underway to ascertain the cause of the tire fire.
Authorities are now thoroughly examining both the aircraft and runway to determine what led to the fire during landing. Airport operations gradually resumed after emergency teams completed their safety evaluations. The incident has reignited discussions over aviation safety and emergency readiness at bustling international airports.
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