Turkish Airlines Plane Catches Fire at Kathmandu Airport

A Turkish Airlines aircraft arriving from Istanbul caught fire while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport on Sunday morning, temporarily disrupting international flight operations.

According to airport security officials, the incident occurred when the TK726 flight was landing at around 6:45 am and one of the aircraft’s tires caught fire on the runway. The fire was quickly brought under control with the help of airport fire engines.

Superintendent of Police Rajkumar Silwal at the Airport Security Office said the situation is now under control and all passengers were safely evacuated. “The fire broke out in the aircraft’s tire during landing. It was extinguished immediately with the assistance of firefighters, and the situation is normal now,” he said. “The runway has been temporarily closed for technical inspection.”

Officials said the aircraft was carrying 273 passengers, including four children, along with 11 crew members. Emergency doors were opened to evacuate passengers safely. Some passengers reportedly sustained minor injuries during the rescue operation.

According to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal spokesperson Gyanendra Bhul, all passengers on board are safe. He added that the aircraft also carried cargo, including human remains and luggage.

The aircraft remained stranded on the runway following the incident, affecting the regular schedule of large international flights arriving and departing from Kathmandu.

Authorities have launched a technical inspection to determine the cause of the fire.