In a dramatic incident at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Monday, a Turkish Airlines passenger plane experienced a tyre fire as it was landing. The occurrence caused alarm among those on board, disrupting international flights at Nepal's principal airport. The fire was swiftly managed by emergency teams, preventing it from escalating further.
Identified as flight TK726 arriving from Istanbul, the event took place around 6:45 am. Airport personnel promptly deployed fire engines to the runway as soon as the fire ignited upon landing. Safety protocols were enacted immediately, facilitating the secure evacuation of all passengers through emergency exits.
There were 277 passengers on board, which included four children and 11 crew members, with a few United Nations officials among them. Although several passengers suffered minor injuries due to the chaos during the evacuation, no serious injuries were reported. Officials confirmed that everyone was successfully rescued from the aircraft.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal noted that the aircraft was carrying not only passengers but also cargo and human remains. Following the effective control of the fire, the aircraft remained on the runway, leading to temporary halts in flight activities at the airport. Numerous international flights scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu had to remain airborne until the runway was cleared.
Flights impacted included Air India flight AI215 from Delhi, Air Arabia flight G9536 from Sharjah, flydubai services from Dubai, Drukair flights from Paro, and Nepal Airlines from Kuala Lumpur and Guangzhou. Throughout the ordeal, airport authority personnel kept a close watch while emergency teams performed checks on the runway and the aircraft.
Social media shared alarming videos showcasing smoke and flames emanating from the plane's landing gear as emergency responders surrounded the aircraft. Passengers could be seen evacuating via emergency exits amidst the chaos. Officials later confirmed that the situation was under control, with investigations set to begin to pinpoint the cause of the tyre fire incident.
Investigations are ongoing, focusing on the aircraft's and runway's conditions to discern what led to the tyre fire during landing. Airport operations gradually resumed after emergency teams completed their initial assessments. This episode has reignited discussions about aviation safety and emergency readiness at bustling international airports.
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