A Turkish Airlines aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers was evacuated on Monday after a landing gear fire was spotted during arrival at Kathmandu airport in Nepal.
Airport officials confirmed that all passengers and crew members aboard the flight were safely evacuated without injuries.
The aircraft, travelling from Istanbul to Kathmandu, had 277 passengers and 11 crew members on board when the incident occurred.
Fire spotted during landing at Kathmandu airport
According to Nepal’s civil aviation authority, the right landing gear of the aircraft caught fire while the plane was landing at Tribhuvan International Airport.
Authorities said emergency responders acted quickly after smoke and flames were noticed near the landing gear area.
“Fire was visible during the landing. Investigations are ongoing. All passengers are safe,” aviation spokesman Gyanendra Bhul said.
The airport temporarily shut down its only runway for nearly two hours while emergency operations were carried out.
Passengers evacuated through emergency slides
Turkish Airlines confirmed that passengers were evacuated using emergency slides shortly after the aircraft stopped on the runway.
The airline explained that smoke was observed from the landing gear area during taxiing after landing.
A spokesperson for the airline, Yahya Ustun, stated that preliminary investigations pointed to a technical issue involving a hydraulic pipe.
“A technical inspection of our aircraft has been initiated by our authorised teams,” he said.
The airline also announced plans to arrange an additional flight for affected passengers.
Nepal airport safety concerns remain
Nepal’s aviation sector has faced international scrutiny in recent years because of difficult terrain, challenging weather conditions, and multiple air accidents.
The country is known for dangerous mountain airports surrounded by steep hills and snow-covered peaks, making operations difficult for pilots.
Following several aviation incidents, Nepalese authorities previously announced plans to improve airport radar systems and weather monitoring equipment.
In 2015, another Turkish Airlines aircraft skidded off the runway at Kathmandu airport, causing a major disruption that shut down the airport for several days.
Investigation into the incident continues
Authorities in Nepal and Turkish Airlines have launched investigations to determine the exact cause of the landing gear fire.
Officials say safety inspections and technical examinations will continue before the aircraft returns to service.
The incident has once again raised discussions about aviation safety and emergency preparedness at busy international airports.
The quick evacuation of passengers and crew helped prevent casualties after the Turkish Airlines landing gear fire in Nepal. Investigators are now working to determine the cause of the technical fault while airport operations have fully resumed.
