A Turkish Airlines commercial flight carrying 288 people was forced into an emergency evacuation on Monday after the aircraft caught fire during its landing sequence in Nepal’s capital. Aviation authorities have confirmed that a potential tragedy was averted, with all 277 passengers and 11 crew members escaping the aircraft without injury.
The flight, which had travelled overnight from Istanbul, encountered a critical mechanical failure upon touching down at Tribhuvan International Airport. According to Gyanendra Bhul, a spokesperson for Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority, the fire was triggered by a sudden spark in the aircraft’s right landing gear as it navigated the tarmac.
“All aboard are safe, and the rescue operation has concluded. We are now actively investigating the circumstances of the accident,” Bhul stated, confirming that emergency response teams were able to neutralise the threat swiftly.
The incident caused immediate disruption to the Himalayan nation’s primary aviation hub. Authorities were forced to suspend all incoming and outgoing flights, closing Kathmandu’s sole operational runway for nearly two hours during the morning rush. The aircraft has since been secured, and the runway is now fully reopened to international and domestic traffic.
Persistent aviation challenges in the Himalayas
Nepal’s aviation sector has long operated under intense international scrutiny due to the country’s geographically demanding environment. The nation features some of the most remote and hazardous airstrips globally, characterised by unpredictable weather patterns and steep, snow-capped mountainous terrain that presents formidable navigational hurdles for even veteran pilots.
A historical record of aviation accidents, coupled with enduring safety concerns, previously prompted the European Union to place a blanket ban on all Nepalese carriers, preventing them from operating within EU airspace. Acknowledging these severe systemic issues, government officials recently committed to a comprehensive upgrade of the country’s aviation infrastructure. This initiative includes the planned installation of advanced radar arrays and state-of-the-art meteorological monitoring systems to better assist flight crews navigating the treacherous topography.
Monday’s emergency also echoes a remarkably similar incident involving the same international carrier just over a decade ago. In 2015, a Turkish Airlines jet transporting 224 individuals skidded off the runway at Kathmandu under adverse conditions. While that ordeal also concluded with no casualties, the resulting wreckage blocked the runway for four consecutive days, triggering a logistical nightmare that stranded thousands of passengers and forced the cancellation of scores of international flights.
Investigators are now working to determine the precise mechanical fault that led to Monday’s undercarriage fire, as operations at Kathmandu slowly return to their normal schedule.
