Russian Plane Boarding 89 Passengers Catches Fire After Landing In Turkey: Watch Video

A Russian-made passenger plane caught fire at Antalya Airport in Turkey on Sunday, leading to chaos as passengers were quickly evacuated. The incident, which occurred shortly after the Sukhoi Superjet 100 touched down, forced the suspension of all incoming flights to the airport until the aircraft was safely removed from the runway.

Incident Details 

The aircraft, operated by Azimuth Airlines, was arriving from the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, carrying 89 passengers and six crew members on board.

According to Turkey’s transport ministry, the fire broke out shortly after the plane landed, sending smoke billowing from the aircraft’s engine. Emergency services responded promptly to the scene, and the 95 people aboard were evacuated using emergency slides.

All the passengers and crew members were safely evacuated from the plane. Authorities quickly deployed fire-fighting units and emergency medical services, minimizing the risk of injury.

Video footage shared on social media platform X by Airport Haber showed emergency teams actively working at the site, battling the blaze and securing the area.

Cause of the Fire

Azimuth Airlines reported that the incident was caused by a rough landing due to wind shear. Wind shear refers to a rapid change in wind direction or speed over a short distance, which can make landing and takeoff procedures more challenging for pilots. The aircraft, a Sukhoi Superjet 100, was said to have experienced this phenomenon during its descent.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a relatively new aircraft, with FlightRadar24 noting that it was seven years old at the time of the incident.

Following the fire, Russia's Federal Aviation Authority, Rosaviatsiya, launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and whether any mechanical failures contributed to the event.

 Airport Disruptions

The fire caused significant disruptions at Antalya Airport, with all landings suspended until the aircraft was towed away from the runway. Passengers were informed of delays, and flights to the airport were temporarily diverted as emergency operations continued.