A Turkish Airlines flight TK612, which departed from Entebbe International Airport for Istanbul on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at approximately 07:14 hours, was unable to proceed to its final destination due to safety precautions. The aircraft had 259 passengers and crew on board.
The Airbus A330 (A333) aircraft safely returned and landed at Entebbe International Airport at 10:50 hours after circling Ugandan airspace, particularly over northern Kampala, for more than three hours. This maneuver was necessary to reduce fuel to the required safe landing weight.
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The precautionary measures taken were standard safety procedures in the aviation industry. All passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and no incidents were reported.
Why did Turkish Airlines Flight TK612 rotate the Uganda Airspace Before Landing?
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) spokesperson, Vianney Luggya, confirmed the incident, stating, “The decision to return and burn fuel was a precautionary measure. This is a standard safety procedure in the aviation industry to prioritize passenger and crew safety. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated upon landing.”
Investigations into the incident are ongoing, and further updates are expected in due course.