N. Korean Airliner Catches Fire, Makes Forced Landing in China


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An airliner operated by North Korea's flag carrier caught fire and made an emergency landing in northeastern China on Friday, an airport police official said.

The Air Koryo flight was en route from the North Korean capital of Pyongyang to Beijing when it made the unscheduled stop in the Chinese city of Shenyang, the Xinhua News Agency said, citing a passenger on board the plane.

An official with the Shenyang Taoyuan Airport police unit, reached by phone, said the plane landed at around 9 a.m. local time. Like many Chinese officials, he refused to provide his name and said he had no further details, AP reported.

Air Koryo operates mainly Russian TU-204 and AN-148 planes. The international destinations to which it flies regularly include Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang in China and the Russian port of Vladivostok.