Saudi plane catches fire while landing at Peshawar Airport

A fire broke out in a Saudi Airline plane when it was landing at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan International Airport on Thursday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The flight SV-792 which was coming from Riyadh to Peshawar when the blaze started in its rear end. The fire started in the landing gear as the aircraft was descending.

All the passengers were evacuated safely by using the emergency exits in the plane.

The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) at the Peshawar Airport saw sparks and smoke billowing out from the left landing gear of the plane. The ATC immediately alerted the pilot.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials called in fire and rescue services. The fire-fighters brought the fire under control within no time.

All the 276 passengers and 21 crewmembers exited the plane through inflatable slide.

Meanwhile, the Peshawar Airport was shut down for flights as the Saudi plane was standing alongside the runway.

Sources said the runway will be cleared by Friday morning and the airport will be back on business by 10:00 am.

Reporters Amir Shahzad and Tayyab Saif