A Turkish Airlines aircraft carrying 277 passengers and 11 crew members caught fire while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday, authorities confirmed.
According to Nepal’s civil aviation authorities, the flight from Istanbul experienced a fire outbreak after sparks were detected in the aircraft’s right landing gear during landing.
Spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Gyanendra Bhul, said all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated without injuries.
“All aboard are safe, the rescue part is over. We are now investigating the accident,” Bhul told reporters.
The incident temporarily disrupted operations at the airport, forcing authorities to shut down the facility’s only runway for nearly two hours before normal activities resumed.
Nepal’s aviation sector has long faced scrutiny due to the country’s difficult terrain and weather conditions. The Himalayan nation is known for its challenging air routes and remote airports surrounded by mountainous landscapes.
In recent years, a series of aviation accidents and safety concerns led the European Union to blacklist Nepali airlines from operating within European airspace.
The Nepalese government had subsequently announced plans to improve aviation safety through the installation of advanced radar and weather monitoring systems.
The latest incident also recalls a 2015 accident involving another Turkish Airlines aircraft that skidded off the runway at Kathmandu airport. Although no casualties were recorded in that incident, the runway remained closed for four days, causing widespread flight disruptions.
