Plane catches fire after landing attempt at Pori Airport in Finland during emergency exercise

A plane arriving from Morocco caught fire following a failed landing at Pori Airport, carrying around 200 passengers and nine crew members. Most passengers managed to evacuate the aircraft independently, although some sustained minor injuries, a few suffered serious injuries, and there were fatalities.

This scenario was part of a major emergency exercise conducted at Pori Airport’s runway end, within the Western Finland rescue training area. “International aviation regulations mandate that we hold a large joint exercise with various authorities every two years,” explained fire chief Tero Järvelä. The exercise aimed to test alarm procedures, rescue operations, patient care and transport coordination, as well as crisis management initiation.

Collaboration among several agencies in Satakunta region was smooth, requiring an open dialogue and recognition of operational boundaries. “We have very good mutual cooperation among all authorities in Satakunta. Our region seems to be an ideal size,” Järvelä added.

In addition to emergency services, students from Winnov and Sataedu participated in the exercise, portraying passengers and crew. “Their involvement allows us to assign realistic tasks to the authorities. In real situations, outsiders might approach the scene or people might end up wandering into the woods,” Järvelä noted.

Anu Karvonen, a nursing student, described the chaotic situation inside the smoke-filled aircraft as realistic. “There was a surprising amount of smoke, and visibility was zero. People were screaming, it felt very real,” she recounted.

Participants from various teams, including two rescue units from Finavia and several emergency response teams, were involved in the drill, highlighting a comprehensive effort to enhance emergency preparedness.