The empty plane, which arrived in Kathmandu on Monday evening, was deployed as a rescue flight. Six engineers and a technical team also arrived in Kathmandu along with the plane.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
Turkish Airlines has sent another wide-body aircraft from Turkey to Kathmandu to ferry 278 stranded passengers to their destination after a 'fire on wheels' incident ( smoke coming out of the landing gear ) on a Turkish Airlines plane at Tribhuvan International Airport.
The empty aircraft, which arrived in Kathmandu on Monday evening, was deployed as a rescue flight. Sources have said that six engineers and a technical team also arrived in Kathmandu along with the aircraft.
After the incident that took place on Monday morning , the affected passengers were kept at the Marriott Hotel and Soaltee Hotel in Naxal. After an alternative flight was ensured, they were brought back to the airport in the afternoon. Technical procedures have been initiated through local MRO company Mercury to repair the Turkish Airlines plane that suffered the 'fire on wheels' incident.
Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines has stated that it will study the issue of the emergency slide of the aircraft being opened even after the fire was brought under control.
According to information received from the scene, the tower in Kathmandu had instructed the pilot to open the slide. After the instructions from Air Traffic Control (ATC), the Turkish Airlines pilot asked for confirmation three times, saying, ‘Is it necessary to open the slide?’ The source said.
An emergency meeting of air traffic controllers was also held at Tribhuvan International Airport after the incident. After the meeting, a fireman informed that smoke was seen from the ground even after the fire was brought under control, ATC is said to have instructed the passengers to be evacuated through the slide.
However, the source said that the pilot had already decided to stop the plane on the taxiway and evacuate the passengers safely.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has expressed concern over the incident, saying that there was a lack of necessary coordination between the Nepal Airlines Corporation ground handling unit and various service providers within the airport.
The ministry has said that it will conduct a detailed study and review the coordination process regarding the incident.
Acting General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport Teknath Sitaula and Acting Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Devchandra Lal Karna jointly led the rescue and coordination after the incident on Monday morning.
‘Whatever decision was made at that time, it was the right decision,’ said Acting General Manager Sitaula, ‘Anything could have happened in a fraction of a second. The most important thing is that the passengers were safe.’
