The engine of a Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger plane caught fire after landing at Antalya Airport in southern Turkey on Sunday. Despite the incident, all 89 passengers and six crew members aboard the Azimuth Airlines flight were safely evacuated, according to a statement from the Turkish transport ministry. A video shared by aviation news outlet Airport Haber captured the evacuation, showing passengers using the emergency slide—some carrying belongings—as emergency teams responded promptly.
The ministry reported that the RA89085-registered aircraft had arrived from Sochi, landing safely at 9:34 p.m. local time. Shortly after landing, the pilot declared an emergency, prompting a swift response from airport rescue and firefighting crews, ensuring everyone’s safety.
The ministry said it is not clear what caused the fire. It added that the passengers and crew were evacuated via the emergency slide after the aircraft landed on the runway, a testament to the safety measures in place. Arrivals and departures at the airport were temporarily suspended while authorities towed the plane from the runway.
A spokesman for the airline, Turkey Today, told the agency that the passenger was flying to Manchester on TUI flight TOM213. He reassured that the passengers were treated for shock and trauma in a particular medical unit, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to the well-being of its passengers.
It’s not the first time a Russian-made plane has erupted in flames after landing. In 2019, a Sukhoi SSJ100 Superjet plane owned by Aeroflot exploded in flames after it landed at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow in severe weather conditions, killing all 72 people on board. The crash was blamed on lightning strikes, but no official explanation for the blaze has been given.
Ankara’s air disaster dominated the headlines just a day after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for what is expected to be the world’s largest airport, set to open in 2018. He addressed tens of thousands of attendees, many of whom had traveled abroad to witness the event.
The project will cost some $10 billion and be capable of handling 150 million passengers a year. The airport is being built at an old military airfield site in Istanbul’s northern suburbs and will eventually replace the country’s aging facilities.
Construction began on the massive project on June 7, and a lavish ceremony was held, attended by Erdogan and most of his Cabinet, along with members of his Justice and Development Party.
