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A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight on Friday landed safely at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka despite losing a wheel from its main landing gear shortly after takeoff from Cox's Bazar.
The incident took place moments after flight BG 436 took off for Dhaka from the Cox's Bazar Airport at 1:35pm, said ABM Raoshan Kabir, general manager (public relations) of Biman.
However, the flight landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:20pm without facing any accident, said Mr Kabir, adding that the passengers and the aircraft are safe.
It was a Dash 8-400 turboprop aircraft, which was carrying 71 passengers.
Shortly after take-off, the pilot sent an emergency message to Dhaka Air Traffic Control (ATC), requesting an emergency landing.
In response, emergency preparations were made at HSIA, and fire service teams were positioned beside the runway.
Group Captain Muhammed Kamrul Islam, executive director of HSIA, said the matter was immediately reported to the control tower, and the airport authorities took necessary precautionary measures.
Biman's engineering department and the airport authorities took all preparations at the airport for the aircraft's landing without one of the left wheels of the main landing gear, according to officials of the national flag carrier.
Pilot in Command of the flight Captain Jamil Billah, who has 8,000 hours of flying experience, and his crew members played a key role in landing the flight safely with one wheel on the left side of the main landing gear, according to a press release issued by Biman.
Biman authorities formed a probe body headed by Enam Talukder, chief of the safety department, to investigate the incident.
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