Operations at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) were briefly paralyzed this morning after a Turkish Airlines aircraft’s landing gear caught fire shortly after touching down. The incident triggered an immediate emergency response, leading to a total ground halt at Nepal’s primary international gateway for over an hour and a half.
The Incident
The flight, carrying 277 passengers and crew, was completing its landing sequence when ground staff and air traffic control noticed smoke and visible flames emanating from the right main landing gear. The pilot was immediately alerted, and airport fire services were dispatched to the runway within seconds to suppress the blaze.
Emergency Evacuation
While the fire was quickly contained, the decision was made to evacuate the aircraft via emergency slides as a safety precaution.
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Safety Status: All 277 individuals on board were successfully evacuated.
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Injuries: Most passengers were unharmed, though two individuals sustained minor injuries during the slide evacuation and were treated by medical teams on-site.
Airport Impact
Following the incident, TIA authorities enacted emergency protocols, shutting down the runway for 98 minutes. This closure led to:
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Diversions: Several international flights were diverted to nearby airports in India and Bangladesh.
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Domestic Delays: Domestic carriers saw significant backlog and scheduling shifts throughout the morning.
Resumption of Services
After the aircraft was towed to a secure hangar and the runway underwent a rigorous safety inspection for debris, TIA officially resumed operations. Airport officials have confirmed that while the schedule remains tight due to the morning’s disruption, flights are now landing and taking off as planned.
An investigation into the technical failure of the landing gear is currently underway by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) in coordination with Turkish Airlines technical teams.