KATHMANDU: Tribhuvan International Airport has resumed operation this morning after it was closed at around 10:45 pm on Thursday. The airport was closed after a Malindo Air flight to Kuala Lumpur aborted take-off, according to TIA officials.

According to an official at Domestic Terminal Management Section at TIA, Pankaj Karna, the airport has resumed its domestic service since 9:00 am today.  However, it was yet to resume international flight operation service.

The Boeing 737-900ER aircraft taking off for Kuala Lumpur from Kathmandu slid off the runway at 10:07 pm yesterday, Spokesperson at TIA Premnath Thakur told THT Online.

It has been learned that the pilot swerved the plane towards the ground about 100 feet from the runway after sensing some issues with the tyres of the aircraft (flight OD 181), however, averting a major mishap. The plane had taxied 1,000 metres along the runway when it aborted, Thakur informed.

TIA General Manager Raj Kumar Chhetri said all 139 people aboard the plane, including the passengers and the crew flying from Kathmandu to the Malaysian capital were disembarked immediately after the aircraft slid off the runway.

All passengers and crew are safe and ground handling agency officials are preparing to tow away the plane from the muddy site after defuelling it before opening the airport, according to TIA Spokesperson Thakur. The aircraft is currently under repair.

Following the incident, the airport operations were halted and the flights en route to Kathmandu were diverted to alternative airports. At least four flights, including Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines departing for international destinations were affected by the closure of the airport, Chhetri informed.

Five arriving flights, including China Southern, Jet Airways and Malaysian Airlines were diverted due to the incident, officials said.

(UPDATED)

Malindo Air aircraft experiences runway excursion at TIA

KATHMANDU: A Malindo Air aircraft that was preparing for a take off for Kuala Lumpur from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport has experienced runway excursion today.

The pilot, swerved the plane towards the ground around 100 feet from the runway after sensing some issues with the tyres of the aircraft (flight OD 181), thus escaping a possible mishap.

The plane was taxiing along the runway and was about to take-off for Kuala Lumpur at 9:45 pm.

All 139 aboard the plane, including the passengers and the crew, are safe. The aircraft is currently under repair.

It has been assumed that the Malaysian aircraft would resume its flight as soon as repair works conclude.

Following the incident, the airport operations have been halted and the flights en route to Kathmandu diverted to alternative airports.

Updates to follow.