Kolkata (Rajeev Sharma|): A Turkish Airlines flight travelling from Kathmandu to Istanbul was forced to make an emergency landing at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Wednesday afternoon after the pilot suspected a fire in one of the aircraft’s engines, airport officials said.
The aircraft, carrying 236 passengers and 11 crew members, had taken off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu when the pilot noticed a possible fire in the right engine within minutes of departure. As a precautionary measure, the engine was immediately shut down.
Following the alert, the pilot contacted Kolkata air traffic control and requested permission for an emergency landing. Airport authorities swiftly activated emergency response protocols, deploying fire tenders, rescue teams and medical staff along the runway.
Despite operating on a single engine for over an hour, the aircraft landed safely in Kolkata at around 2.50 pm. All passengers and crew members were evacuated without any injuries, officials confirmed.
An airport official said the aircraft was later moved to a designated isolation bay for technical inspection. Preliminary information suggested that instead of returning to Kathmandu, the pilot opted for Kolkata due to operational feasibility and safety considerations.
Tribhuvan International Airport General Manager Teknath Sitaula said the emergency alert was raised about four minutes after take-off at approximately 1.28 pm local time. The exact cause of the suspected engine fire is yet to be established, and detailed technical checks are currently underway.
Aviation authorities and the airline are expected to carry out a comprehensive investigation to determine the reason behind the engine malfunction.
