Thiruvananthapuram: A Kuwait Airways flight from Kuwait faced a tense moment during its landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport when one of its rear tires caught fire early Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 2 am as the plane touched down on the runway.

The pilot promptly alerted air traffic control upon noticing fire and smoke emanating from the tire. In response, airport fire force vehicles rushed to the scene, cordoning off the area around the plane for safety.

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The 116 passengers, along with six crew members, including the pilot, were immediately evacuated using the aero bridge amidst smoke rising from the tire. Firefighters carefully doused the burning tire with water, ensuring gradual cooling to prevent any potential explosion.

Following the emergency response, the airline's technical team replaced the damaged tire. It is suspected that the fire was caused when the tire heated up due to friction during landing when the pilot applied the brakes. After resolving the technical issues, the flight departed for Kuwait at 7 am.