Kolkata, February 4: A Turkish Airlines flight made an emergency landing at Kolkata Airport after the pilot reported a fire in the right engine. The flight, which originated from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, was en route to Istanbul.
According to reports, the aircraft was carrying 236 individuals, including 225 passengers and 11 crew members. Fortunately, all passengers are safe. The plane is currently grounded at Kolkata Airport for a technical inspection.
Flight THY-727 took off from Kathmandu but detected an issue with the right engine just four minutes after departure. The crew had the option to return to Kathmandu or divert to Bhairahawa, but the aircraft was deemed unfit for long-distance travel.
Consequently, they opted for an emergency landing in Kolkata. The Airport Authority of India confirmed that the wide-body aircraft was diverted to Kolkata shortly after takeoff due to engine failure. The plane continued to fly on one engine while the crew assessed the situation and determined that proceeding on the long journey was not safe.
The Joint General Manager of Air Traffic Management stated that at 13:38, while en route from Kathmandu to Istanbul, the flight declared a pan-pan due to the fire in the right engine and requested permission to land in Kolkata. The aircraft reported controlling the fire at 13:51 and informed authorities about the engine failure as it approached Kolkata. It successfully landed at Kolkata Airport, and all passengers and crew members are reported safe. An investigation is underway, and further decisions will be made following the assessment.
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