Plane Fire Incident at Antalya Airport: 89 People Brought to Safety
There was a dramatic emergency at the Antalya airport when a fire enveloped an Azimuth Airlines plane while it was landing. The accident concerned a Sukhoi Superjet 100 that arrived from Sochi, Russia.
The Azimuth Sukhoi Superjet with registration RA-89085 caught fire after landing at Antalya Airport, Turkiye on flight A45051 from Sochi with 89 passengers aboard; all were evacuated safely along with six crew members.
Videos uploaded online show an aircraft with its left engine on fire and quickly spreading to nearby areas, although its cause remains unknown.
According to others, the fire started after the aircraft had landed roughly; it touched the ground with considerable force. Fire alarms went off at the Antalya Airport and the emergency crews onboard quickly put out the fire to prevent any harm to the passengers.
Successful Operation: Passenger and Crew Evacuation
Fortunately, all the passengers and the crew, numbering 89 and 6 respectively, were safely evacuated. Luckily, the fire was put off, and the plane was relocated to a safer place after it was anchored. AIDS was however dismissed stating that while the situation was critical, the response provided the least risk to life.
Consequently, as a measure of safety, the management of Antalya Airport decided to suspend all incoming flights after the occurrence. Flights were suspended until 3:00 am resulting in a 7-hour disruption to airport operations. To avoid additional disruptions, movements were redirected to the adjacent military apron.
The accident took place at a time when there were negative weather conditions in the region of Antalya. Earlier this week, 8 individuals, all passengers of a flight Qatar Airways, were taken to the hospital, as the aircraft encountered some turbulence over Turkey on its way to Istanbul. The General Directorate of Meteorology had put out code orange, as storms persisted to hit the area.
Press Releases and Current Investigations
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI) released a statement confirming the fire broke out at 9:34 pm and thanked the airport emergency crews for their quick reaction. Azimuth Airlines also stated that the passengers were evacuated without any incidences and that the investigation into the hard landing is ongoing.
This case shows that emergency planning for aviation is critical and they need to consider different situations such as adverse weather conditions.
