turkish-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-kolkata-airport

A Turkish Airlines passenger aircraft narrowly avoided a major air disaster after making an emergency landing at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Wednesday following a fire in one of its engines. All 236 passengers and crew members on board are reported to be safe.

 

According to airport sources, Turkish Airlines flight TK 727 was operating from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Istanbul, Turkey.

 

“While flying through Kolkata airspace, the pilot detected fire in one of the engine compartments and immediately alerted Kolkata Air Traffic Control (ATC), declaring an emergency. After receiving clearance from ATC, the aircraft landed safely on the runway under heightened caution. Fire brigades, medical teams and other emergency services were placed on standby as part of standard safety protocol,” said an official of Kolkata airport.

 

Following the landing, passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft. Authorities have initiated a detailed investigation to determine whether the fire was caused by a mechanical fault.

 

Sources said the pilot first noticed sparks and fire in the engine compartment just four minutes after takeoff, at around 1:28 pm. The aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 bearing flight number THY 727, had departed from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu carrying 236 people, including 11 crew members.

 

Following the emergency alert, Tribhuvan International Airport was temporarily closed for about 15 minutes as a precautionary measure. Operations at Kathmandu airport later returned to normal.

 

The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that due to a fire in the aircraft’s right engine, the pilot requested permission to land in Kolkata at around 1:38 pm while operating with one engine malfunctioning.

 

Kolkata airport authorities said the fire in the engine was brought under control by 1:51 pm, after which continuous monitoring and inspection began. The aircraft remains grounded at the Kolkata airport for technical inspection.

 

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