Video Available
Peshawar: A Saudi Airlines flight from Riyadh caught fire upon landing at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan International Airport on Thursday, prompting a swift evacuation of all passengers and crew members, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reported.
Incident Overview
CAA spokesperson Saifullah stated that air traffic controllers noticed smoke and sparks emanating from the aircraft’s left-hand side landing gear as it landed. They promptly alerted the pilots and informed the airport fire and rescue services.
Fire Response
CAA fire vehicles quickly reached the scene and extinguished the flames engulfing the landing gear. “The fire tenders acted in time and immediately controlled the fire in the landing gear, saving the aircraft from a major accident,” Saifullah noted.
Evacuation
All 276 passengers and 21 crew members were safely evacuated using an inflatable slide. Video footage from the scene showed passengers disembarking the aircraft via the emergency slide.
Current Status
According to Peshawar airport officials, the airport remains operational and all flights will continue as scheduled.
