Katunayake, Sri Lanka: A Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 operating Flight TK-733 from Colombo to Istanbul made a safe emergency landing early Wednesday morning at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) after the crew detected a technical issue with the aircraft’s landing gear shortly after departure, according to airport authorities and multiple media reports.
The wide-body aircraft, carrying 202 passengers and 10 crew members, departed BIA at around 10:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday. Shortly after take-off, the flight crew identified a problem with the landing gear and opted to return to the airport as a precautionary measure.
In accordance with standard safety procedures, the aircraft circled over Sri Lankan airspace, including areas near Colombo and Chilaw, to burn excess fuel and reduce landing weight before the emergency return.
Airport officials placed the runway on emergency standby, with fire and rescue teams, ambulances, and other emergency response units deployed in anticipation of the aircraft’s return.
At approximately 00:28 a.m. local time, the Turkish Airlines flight made a safe touchdown at BIA. All passengers and crew disembarked without injury, and emergency services were subsequently stood down.
Officials noted that regular flight operations at the airport continued during the incident and there were no reported disruptions to other scheduled services. Investigations are expected to be carried out to determine the precise cause of the landing gear issue.
Passengers aboard the flight were assisted following disembarkation, with arrangements made for onward travel and accommodation as necessary.
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