A Turkish Airlines aircraft en route from Kathmandu to Istanbul made a full emergency landing at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Wednesday afternoon after the pilot reported sparks and a possible fire in the right engine during the flight, aviation officials said. The flight operated as TK-727 was safely brought down around 2:49 pm, and all 236 passengers and crew on board are reported safe.
Pilot Reports Engine Sparks: Emergency Protocols Activated
According to airport authorities and flight tracking data, the pilot of the Istanbul-bound aircraft informed Kolkata Air Traffic Control (ATC) about a possible engine fire or malfunction after takeoff from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, prompting an immediate diversion to Kolkata for a precautionary landing.
Firefighting and emergency response teams were positioned on standby at the airport as the aircraft approached, following standard aviation safety procedures.
Passengers Safe, No Reported Injuries
Despite the critical in-flight situation, the aircraft landed without incident, and all passengers and crew disembarked safely. Airport officials confirmed no injuries have been reported so far.
The quick response by the flight crew and ground emergency services at Kolkata played a key role in ensuring the safety of those on board amid the unsettling reports of engine sparks.
Technical Inspection Underway at Airport
After landing, the aircraft was taken to a designated area of the airport apron where engineers and technicians began a detailed technical inspection to determine the cause of the engine malfunction and to verify if there was any real fire or just a related fault in engine instrumentation.
Airport sources said that inspections are ongoing to assess whether the sparks were caused by a mechanical fault or a sensor/indicator issue.
Flight Details and Safety Response
The flight, which departed from Kathmandu early Wednesday afternoon, was bound for Istanbul with a scheduled long-haul journey ahead. Once the engine concern was reported shortly after takeoff, the captain and flight crew opted for the rapid but safe diversion to Kolkata a major international emergency landing option along the route rather than continuing over long stretches of airspace with a potential engine fault.
Officials emphasized that such precautionary landings, while rare, are part of standard safety protocols designed to safeguard passengers and crew when technical irregularities are identified mid-flight.
Statement Expected from Airline and Aviation Authorities
Turkish Airlines and airport officials are expected to release official statements later today with additional details on the incident, including confirmation of the exact cause of the engine sparks and the outcome of the technical inspection.
Such incidents highlight the importance of rigorous safety training and communication between flight crews and air traffic control to mitigate risks in commercial aviation.