Flight operations came to a standstill as a major airport closed temporarily due to an incident involving a Turkish Airlines plane. The Tribhuvan International Airport shutdown lasted 98 minutes on Monday, May 11, from 6:34 am to 8:12 am, as confirmed by Gyanendra Bhul, assistant spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The incident involved a fire in the right main landing gear of the aircraft.

The wide-body aircraft was left stranded on Taxiway Bravo, while the remaining portion remained on the runway, leading authorities to suspend all flights, both domestic and international. The aircraft had a total of 288 individuals on board, including 11 crew members, according to The Kathmandu Post.

Initial reports indicated that a tire on the right main landing gear of the aircraft caught fire, with potential causes being a hard landing, tire pressure issues, or other technical malfunctions. Passengers were evacuated using slides, and Turkish Airlines reported that two passengers suffered minor finger injuries.

The aircraft has been grounded for further technical assessments, and accommodations have been arranged for passengers with scheduled departures from Kathmandu. Urgent travelers will be accommodated on alternative flights. A team for maintenance, repair, and overhaul will conduct investigations on-site, with the Civil Aviation Authority’s Flight Safety Standard Department launching a detailed inquiry.