A FlyDubai aircraft that caught fire soon after takeoff from Kathmandu airport due to a bird-hit incident has landed safely at the Dubai airport. “The FlyDubai aircraft has landed safely in Dubai,” state-run Nepal Television reported on Tuesday. The flight carrying more than 160 people reported a problem in one of its engines soon after take-off at 9.20 am on Monday from the Tribhuvan International Airport, according to airport sources. It hovered over the skies in Dharke for some time. The pilots later told the control tower they will continue with the flight after finding out that all indicators were normal.
“Our experienced flight crew followed standard operating procedure and continued the onward journey after determining that the engine was within normal operating parameters,” a spokesperson for the UAE company told news agency Reuters.
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati shared on his Facebook account that the FlyDubai aircraft was flying to its destination safely and urged everyone not to worry about it.
“FlyDubai flight number 576 (Boeing 737-800) Kathmandu to Dubai flight is normal now and proceeding to her destination Dubai as per the flight plan,” Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said in a tweet on Monday.
There are more than 160 people on board including 50 Nepali passengers. Eye-witnesses had earlier claimed they saw the aircraft catching fire in the Kathmandu sky.
Fire engines were also kept on alert at the Kathmandu airport, according to sources.
Jagannath Niroula, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, said in a statement to Reuters that an engine caught fire shortly after takeoff from Kathmandu. The fire on FlyDubai flight 576 was under control and the Boeing 737-800 plane had 167 passengers on board, the Civil Aviation Authority said.
Full Emergency Declared At Delhi Airport After Dubai-Bound Flight Suffers Bird Hit
Earlier in April, a full emergency was declared at the Delhi airport after Dubai-bound FedEx aircraft suffered a bird hit soon after take-off, an airport official said. While bird strikes are common, several passenger flights from Delhi Airport have been diverted in recent days due to inclement weather.