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)
TT

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 FM Arrives in Kuwait for 162nd Preparatory Meeting of GCC Supreme Council

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
TT

Saudi FM Arrives in Kuwait for 162nd Preparatory Meeting of GCC Supreme Council

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrived in Kuwait on Thursday to take part in the 162nd preparatory meeting for the 45th session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
He was welcomed at Kuwait International Airport by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Prince Sultan bin Saad bin Khalid, and Secretary General of the GCC Jasem Albudaiwi.
The meeting will discuss the agenda for the 45th session of the GCC Supreme Council, scheduled to be held on Sunday in Kuwait and attended by leaders of the GCC countries.