The Saudi Arabian airlines whose flight caught fire at the Peshawar airport while landing on Thursday has released an official statement regarding the incident.
According to the airline, the fire broke out in one of the aircraft's tyres during landing.
The incident occurred on a flight arriving from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Upon detecting the fire, the plane was immediately grounded as a safety measure. The Saudi airlines confirmed that all relevant authorities were promptly informed after the plane came to a stop.
Emergency protocols were swiftly activated, ensuring the safe evacuation of all passengers via emergency slides. Thankfully, no casualties were reported among the passengers or crew members.
The aircraft remains parked at Peshawar's Bacha Khan International Airport for technical reasons. The Saudia airlines assured that the plane would undergo a thorough inspection before being cleared for return.
On Thursday morning, a fire broke out in an aeroplane belonging to a foreign airline at the Peshawar airport.
According to aviation sources, the fire broke out in the landing gear of Saudia airline flight, SV-792, coming from Riyadh during landing at the Peshawar airport. The air traffic controller informed the authorities about the fire.
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The incident triggered emergency protocols as 276 passengers and a 21-member crew were swiftly evacuated using emergency slides.
On landing, firefighting crews responded promptly and managed to extinguish the flames engulfing the aircraft. Fortunately, no casualties were reported among the passengers or crew members. A few minor injured passengers were administered first aid.
The exact cause of the fire is under investigation by airport authorities and aviation experts. Initial reports suggest that the fire erupted as the plane was touching down at the airport.
The incident caused temporary disruptions at Peshawar airport.
Following the incident, the airport was declared shut for 24 hours due to the presence of the plane on the airport taxiway. According to a Notice to Airmen (Notam), the duration of the runway closure will be from 10:35am today till the same time tomorrow. All flights to the Peshawar airport will be diverted to alternative airports.
Due to the lengthy aircraft removal operation, the duration of the runway closure may be prolonged.
