A Turkish Airlines jet caught fire while landing at Nepal’s main airport, Kathmandu International Airport, on Monday, prompting the immediate evacuation of passengers.
The Airbus A330 aircraft, registered TC-JNP, landed normally at the runway before smoke was observed from the landing gear while the plane was taxiing, said the airline’s senior vice president for communications Yahya Ustun.
The evacuation was carried out as a precautionary measure under the instructions of airport tower authorities. Passengers were evacuated using the emergency slides, and no injuries were reported, he added.
The airline confirmed that technical inspections were conducted to determine the cause of the smoke from the landing gear.
The incident caused the airport to close for an hour. A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal stated that all 277 passengers and 11 crew members were safely evacuated.
