KATHMANDU: A Turkish Airlines passenger aircraft was evacuated at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday after smoke and flames were reported from its landing gear shortly after landing, prompting authorities to suspend all flight operations for more than an hour.
The incident involved an Airbus A330 operating a scheduled flight from Istanbul to Nepal’s capital. According to Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN), the fire erupted in the aircraft’s right main landing gear while the plane was taxiing after landing early in the morning.
According to media reports quoting the airport officials, the aircraft became partially stranded on Taxiway Bravo, with a significant section of the plane obstructing the runway, forcing the airport to halt both domestic and international flight movements.
Flight operations at Tribhuvan International Airport remained suspended from 6:34 am until 8:12 am local time, causing disruptions to several scheduled services.
Authorities confirmed that all 277 passengers and 11 crew members on board were evacuated safely through emergency exits and evacuation slides. Two passengers reportedly suffered minor finger injuries during the evacuation process, while no serious injuries were recorded.
Initial reports from aviation officials suggested that a tyre on the aircraft’s right rear landing gear caught fire shortly after touchdown.
Fire crews quickly responded and managed to extinguish the blaze before the aircraft was towed away from the runway area.
Officials said preliminary assessments pointed to possible causes including a hard landing, tyre pressure complications or another technical fault, although a full investigation is still underway.
Turkish Airlines later stated that technical teams had begun inspecting the aircraft. Yahya Ustun, the airline’s senior vice president for communications, said initial findings indicated the smoke may have been caused by a malfunction in a hydraulic pipe.
The aircraft has since been grounded for detailed technical examination. Investigators from the Civil Aviation Authority’s Flight Safety Standard Department, along with maintenance and repair specialists, are expected to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.
Airport authorities said hotel accommodation had been arranged for affected passengers, while efforts were also being made to reroute urgent travellers on alternative flights. Turkish Airlines operates five weekly services between Istanbul and Kathmandu.
