Halifax, Dec 29: An Air Canada Express flight operated by PAL Airlines encountered a landing gear failure while arriving from Newfoundland at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Canada, on Saturday night. The incident occurred around 9:30 pm local time and led to a partial fire on the aircraft, prompting a swift evacuation of all passengers and crew.

Witnesses described the aircraft as tilting to a 20-degree angle and skidding along the runway. Emergency services, including paramedics and the Nova Scotia RCMP, responded promptly to the scene.

An airport spokesperson confirmed that all passengers and crew were safely evacuated from the aircraft and transported to a nearby hangar for medical assessments.

The flight, which typically accommodates around 80 passengers, was nearly full at the time of the incident, though the exact number of people on board has not been confirmed. Authorities have since launched an investigation to determine the cause of the landing gear failure, which could involve mechanical or procedural issues or external factors.

This incident comes on the heels of a major aviation tragedy in South Korea, where a Jeju Air flight from Bangkok to Muan crashed during landing, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. Video footage from the crash site showed the aircraft engulfed in flames shortly after impact.