A Turkish Airlines aircraft caught fire on its right-side tyres while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport early Monday morning, triggering an emergency response and evacuation of all passengers and crew members.
Authorities confirmed that the situation was brought under control quickly and no injuries were reported in the incident.
Tyre Fire Breaks Out During Landing
According to airport security officials, the flight operating with call sign TK726 was travelling from Istanbul to Kathmandu when the tyres caught fire during landing at Tribhuvan International Airport.
Speaking to ANI, airport security official SP Rajkumar Silawal said firefighters immediately responded to the emergency.
“The aircraft with call sign TK726 was en route to Kathmandu from Istanbul, and the tyre had caught fire while landing. Using the fire engine, it has been contained. All the passengers are safely evacuated,” he said.
Nearly 290 People Were On Board
Officials said the aircraft was carrying 278 passengers and 11 crew members at the time of the incident. Some United Nations officials were also reportedly travelling on the flight.
Videos circulating on social media showed flames emerging from the aircraft’s right landing gear along with thick grey smoke shortly after touchdown.
Passengers were evacuated through the emergency exits as rescue teams rushed to the spot.
Cause Of Incident Yet To Be Determined
No official statement has yet been issued by Turkish Airlines or Kathmandu airport authorities regarding the exact cause of the tyre fire.
Officials said an investigation is expected to determine whether the incident was caused by a technical fault, landing-related issue or any other operational factor.
Similar Incident Took Place In 2015
The airline had witnessed a similar incident at Kathmandu airport in 2015 when another Turkish Airlines aircraft skidded off the runway during landing amid poor visibility conditions.
The Airbus A330, carrying 224 people from Istanbul, had veered into the grassy area beside the runway after reportedly losing alignment during final approach. Though no injuries were reported, the incident forced the airport to remain shut for four days.
Initial investigation reports at the time had pointed towards loss of situational awareness by the flight captain during landing.
Airport Operations Under Watch
Authorities are monitoring the situation closely to ensure smooth airport operations following Monday’s incident.
Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal’s busiest aviation hub, is known for its challenging landing conditions due to surrounding terrain and weather variability.
