Over 150 passengers and crew of Jazeera flight (J9 608), from Kuwait to Hyderabad, had a miraculous escape after the aircraft’s right engine caught fire soon after landing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Shamshabad, on Thursday.
An airport official confirmed that the engine caught fire due to a technical problem, while approaching the parking bay.
Safely evacuated
The aircraft landed at 1.29 a.m. and at 1.33 a.m. the crew noticed the fire.
Fire tenders were rushed to douse the flames and Air Traffic Control staff instructed the captain to turn off the engine.
All the passengers were safely evacuated, the official added.
Jazeera Airways’ India spokesperson said in a press release here that the aircraft reported a brief tailpipe flare in the right engine, and the fire was quickly extinguished.
“Our pilot immediately followed standard operating procedure by switching off fuel and ignition. All safety procedures were followed,” the spokesperson said.
The flight was scheduled to return to Kuwait at 2.20 a.m. but was cancelled.