Kolkata: Flight catches fire, makes emergency landing

A Guwahati-bound plane carrying 46 on-board landed under emergency conditions at the Kolkata airport here early morning after one of its engines caught fire.

All 38 passengers and eight crew of the Jetlite flight from Kolkata to Guwahati were safe. The pilot of S2-361 flight contacted Air Traffic Control ATC) and sought to land minutes after taking off at 6.29 am after he noticed the portside engine emitting smoke and fire, airport sources said.

Fire brigade was on the stand by as the aircraft landed safely two minutes after the take-off.

Airline sources said a disaster was averted as the pilot seeing smoke and fire switched off the engine mid-air and the fire stopped.

However, the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, officials said.

The passengers would be sent to Guwahati around 10 am by another plane, airport sources said.