Saudi plane catches fire during landing

PESHAWAR: Some 276 passengers and 21 crew members were safely evacuated through the emergency exit after the landing gear of an aircraft of Saudi Airlines caught fire during landing at the Bacha Khan International Airport on Thursday.

Officials said the air traffic control alerted emergency services and fire vehicles were rushed to the runway after smoke was witnessed during the landing. The flight was coming from Riyadh.

Soon after the landing, all the passengers and crew members were evacuated safely from the plane through slides at the emergency exits.

Many of the men and women were seen in panic in videos made by passengers that went viral on social media.

A statement by the Civil Aviation Authority said the Saudi Airlines flight 792 experienced smoke and subsequently a fire in the left landing gear on arrival at the airport.

It said the air traffic controller promptly communicated the incident to the pilot. The rescue services arrived and extinguished the fire, preventing a major accident.