Normal flight operations have resumed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) after a Turkish Airlines aircraft involved in an emergency situation was safely moved away from the main runway on Monday morning. The incident temporarily disrupted international flights after Turkish Airlines flight TK726 from Istanbul caught fire in one of its wheels while landing in Kathmandu at around 6:45 am.
According to Nepal Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN) Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul, the aircraft had stopped on the main runway following the incident, affecting regular movement of international flights.
“The aircraft was later removed from the runway and taken to the taxiway area, after which runway clearance was completed and flight operations resumed,” Bhul said.
Passengers Safely Rescued Through Emergency Exit of Turkish Airlines
Airport authorities confirmed that all 284 people onboard, including crew members, were safely evacuated through the aircraft’s emergency exits.
Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control using airport fire engines. Following the rescue operation, technical teams carried out inspections and assessed the overall situation before reopening the runway for regular takeoffs and landings.
Boarding for Scheduled Flights Underway
Officials said passengers for scheduled international flights are currently being boarded as airport services gradually return to normal. The incident had caused delays to several large international aircraft due to the temporary runway closure. Authorities are now investigating the exact cause of the fire. “We are still studying what caused the fire. After the aircraft was shifted to a secure location on the taxiway and the situation was evaluated, airport operations were resumed,” Bhul added.
