Turkish Airlines Flight Returns to Katunayake After Gear Malfunction

A Turkish Airlines passenger flight departing from Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) for Istanbul experienced a critical technical malfunction shortly after takeoff early this morning. The issue involved the aircraft's landing gear, which failed to retract fully following rotation, necessitating an immediate operational decision by the flight crew.

Following standard emergency protocols, the crew immediately ceased ascent and entered a holding pattern, reportedly circling the area near Chilaw. This maneuver was necessary to burn off excess fuel, ensuring the aircraft was within safe landing weight limits for the impending emergency return. Air traffic control was promptly notified, and emergency services at CMB were placed on high alert in anticipation of the landing.

Despite the technical difficulty, the flight successfully performed an emergency landing back at Katunayake, touching down safely without further incident. Preliminary reports confirm that all passengers and crew were unharmed during the event. The aircraft has been taken out of service and is currently undergoing thorough inspection by maintenance teams to determine the root cause of the landing gear system failure and ensure airworthiness before returning to operations.