Ankara: A Russian passenger plane carrying 95 people, including 89 passengers and six crew members, caught fire upon landing at Antalya Airport in southern Turkey. Operated by Azimuth Airlines, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 had flown from Sochi and landed at 9:34 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Shortly after touchdown, the plane’s pilot issued an emergency alert as flames erupted from the left engine. Emergency teams at the airport responded swiftly, deploying firefighting measures to extinguish the fire. Passengers and crew evacuated safely using emergency slides, with no injuries reported. A video shared by the aviation website Airport Haber captured the dramatic scene, showing flames being controlled as passengers disembarked, some holding their belongings.
The Turkish Ministry of Transportation confirmed that all onboard were unharmed and stated that the cause of the fire is under investigation. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to remove the aircraft from the runway. Arrivals at Antalya Airport were temporarily halted, with departures redirected to a military-operated runway to ensure continuity of operations.
The incident underscores the importance of quick action by airport emergency services, which averted a potentially tragic outcome. As investigations continue, the aviation industry will likely scrutinize the safety protocols surrounding the Sukhoi Superjet 100 model and emergency response procedures.
