Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the only international airport in the country closed since Wednesday morning after the Turkish Airlines aircraft crash landed at the airport, will remain closed for international flights for uncertain period.

Despite making certain progress, we are uncertain whether our efforts will work to bring the aircraft safely in parking yard. There need a couple of more days to clear the runway said sources close to TIA told New Spotlight.

“We cannot say how much time it will take to move the aircraft. So we cannot tell when the airport will open for international flights," said Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, director general at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

The recovery team, including technicians and experts from Nepal and India, is trying to tow the aircraft to the runway and move it to the remote parking area. However, as the nose wheel of the aircraft is fully damaged and the wheels have to be changed it is taking time to move the aircraft.

“Air bladders have been placed under the nose wheel, wings and the rear of the aircraft to lift it. But as the bladders are only 16 feet high and the nose wheel of the aircraft is half buried, the team has not been able to lift the depressed part of the aircraft,” said Suman.

To lift the aircraft, a 4 ft wooden plank has been ordered. “We will put the air bladder above the plank and then inflate it. It will take 4 hours to inflate the bladder,” said Suman.