Air India flight catches fire at Muscat airport, passengers evacuated

Passengers were evacuated on slides from an Air India Express flight at Muscat International Airport on Wednesday after smoke began to pour from the plane.

The entire crew and the 145 passengers on board, four of whom were infants, were evacuated and relocated to the terminal building. There have been no reported injuries.

The incident happened while the Kochi-bound Boeing 737-800 aircraft was taxiing and after the warning, the passengers were evacuated as a precautionary measure, a source told PTI.

There were 141 passengers and six crew members onboard the aircraft that was operating flight IX 442, the source said.

Aviation regulator DGCA will probe the incident, according to AN official.

Alternative arrangements are being made to bring the passengers from Muscat to Kochi, the source said.