KATHMANDU, June 26: The country's sole international airport will be closed for 30 minutes this afternoon for a rehearsal of the airport emergency plan. A full practice in regard to 'bomb threat' is to be conducted with the participation of several organizations relating to air flight, security, medical and rescue.
Emergency awareness rehearsal held in Pokhara schools
Operations of flights towards both domestic and international routes will be ceased from 3:10 pm to 3:40 pm today for the emergency plan rehearsal, said TIA managing director Raj Kumar Chhetri. This will be the first full-time emergency rehearsal. According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)'s rule, the airport should conduct this type of practice twice in a year.
A dummy of Boeing 757 aircraft will be used for the emergency rescue practice on TIA 'taxiway' area. The rehearsal will take a momentum once information about placing a bomb in the aircraft is circulated. During the rehearsal period, more smoke will be billowing over sky over and near TIA and there will be increased mobility of firefighters, security personnel, ambulance, and other related activities.
