Turkish Airlines Plane Evacuated After Smoke in Kathmandu Landing Gear

Turkish Airlines flight TK726 experienced smoke in its landing gear after landing in Kathmandu. All 278 passengers and 11 crew members were safely evacuated via slides. Initial examinations suggest a technical malfunction in the hydraulic pipe caused the smoke. An additional flight has been arranged for the return journey.

Key Points: Turkish Airlines Plane Evacuated in Kathmandu After Smoke

  • Smoke observed in landing gear after normal landing
  • All 278 passengers and 11 crew safely evacuated
  • Technical malfunction in hydraulic pipe suspected
  • Additional flight arranged for return leg
2 min read

"No injuries to passengers, flight scheduled for return leg": Turkish Airlines after report of smoke observed in Aircraft landing gear in Kathmandu

Turkish Airlines flight TK726 evacuated in Kathmandu after smoke in landing gear. No injuries reported. 278 passengers and 11 crew safe.

"The evacuation process has been successfully completed, and no injuries have occurred. - Yahya Ustun"

Kathmandu, May 11

Turkish Airlines on Monday said that no injuries were occurred and that an additional flight had been provided for the onward leg, after smoke was observed during landing on one of its aircrafts in Kathmandu this morning.

In a statement Yahya Ustun, Senior Vice President Communications said, "Following the normal landing of our Airbus A330 type aircraft, registered TC-JNP, which operated flight TK726 numbered Istanbul-Kathmandu on the runway, upon smoke being observed in the landing gears on the taxiway, passenger evacuation was carried out by opening the slide as a precaution in accordance with the instructions of the tower teams. The evacuation process has been successfully completed, and no injuries have occurred. An additional flight has been scheduled for the return leg of the relevant flight, and technical examinations of our aircraft have been initiated by our authorized teams. Initial examinations indicate that the smoke originated from a technical malfunction in the hydraulic pipe."

Earlier reports from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu said that the Turkish Airlines aircraft's tyres caught fire while landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on early Monday morning.

Police confirmed that all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated. The flight en-route from Istanbul to Kathmandu caught fire on the right tyres while landing, triggering the evacuation and rescue of all the passengers.

"The aircraft with call sign TK726 was en-route to Kathmandu from Istanbul, and the tyre had caught fire while landing. Using the fire engine, it has been contained. All the passengers are safely evacuated," SP Rajkumar Silawal from the airport security told ANI in a telephonic conversation.

As per the official, there were a total of 278 passengers and 11 crew members on the flight. The passengers also included some United Nations officials.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

A
Ananya R
I flew through Kathmandu last month and the runway there is always a bit chaotic. Glad to see aviation protocols worked - 278 passengers evacuated safely without injury is a testament to crew training.
R
Rohit P
Good that they’re blaming hydraulic pipe malfunction but honestly, this is worrying for a major airline like Turkish. At least they arranged a replacement flight quickly. Hope investigation reveals the real cause.
S
Sneha F
The fact that UN officials were on board shows how international Kathmandu is as a hub. But Indian passengers must have been terrified - I can only imagine the panic during evacuation. Safety first always! ✈️
K
Karthik V
Turkish Airlines has a pretty decent safety record usually. But I think the initial report about "tyres catching fire" might have been exaggerated by media. Either way, no injuries is the bottom line. Well done to the crew.
A
Aditya G
As someone who works in aviation, I can say that smoke in landing gear isn't uncommon but the fact they evacuated immediately shows good judgment. Kathmandu airport is tricky terrain wise. Hats off to the ground staff too! 🔧
R
Raghav A
I just hope the airline conducts a thorough investigation. Hydraulic failures can cascade into bigger issues if ignored. Also, why did initial news say "tyre fire"? That kind of panic isn't helpful. Let's trust the official report now.
S

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50