Air India Express Aircraft Catches Fire in Muscat

A picture from Oman TV of the evacuation of the Indian plane, which caught fire at Muscat International Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A picture from Oman TV of the evacuation of the Indian plane, which caught fire at Muscat International Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Air India Express Aircraft Catches Fire in Muscat

A picture from Oman TV of the evacuation of the Indian plane, which caught fire at Muscat International Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A picture from Oman TV of the evacuation of the Indian plane, which caught fire at Muscat International Airport. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

An engine fire sparked a rush to evacuate an Air India Express plane that was preparing to take off from Oman, leaving some passengers with light injuries.

Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a statement on its Twitter account and said that the accident happened at 11:33 on Wednesday morning in the Indian Express Aircraft, which was planned to take off from Muscat International Airport to Delhi Airport in India.

“Before taking off, the aircraft was hit by a failure and a fire in one of its engines, which required an immediate evacuation of passengers. Some light injuries resulted in passengers during this accident.”

The Authority noted that it was following up on the developments of the accident in coordination with relevant authorities through the work of the Emergency Operations Center at Muscat International Airport.

Later, the Authority declared the end of the state of emergency at Muscat International Airport. It did not disclose the number of passengers or the injured.

“Everyone got off the plane safely and the jet was left parked on the airport runway,” according to Arun Kumar, head of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

The DGCA is investigating the matter, Kumar said in a text message.



Saudi Crown Prince Receives Written Message from President of South Africa

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
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Saudi Crown Prince Receives Written Message from President of South Africa

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received on Monday a written message from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa concerning relations between their countries.

Undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Multilateral Affairs and General Supervisor of the Public Diplomacy Deputyship Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi accepted the message on behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.

Al-Rassi accepted the message during a meeting with special envoy for the president of South Africa Gwen Ramokgopa.

They discussed ways to bolster and expand relations between Saudi Arabia and South Africa in various sectors. They also tackled issues of mutual interest.