Saudi plane with 200 on board catches fire

Dhaka: A Saudi Airlines Boeing-747 made an emergency landing in the Bangladesh's capital city on Tuesday after one of its engines caught fire, airport officials said.

More than 200 passengers and 16 crewmembers were on board when the fire was sighted by the pilots as the airliner was approaching the Zia International Airport in Dhaka.

Civil aviation authorities said the pilot sought permission for an emergency landing. A passenger was quoted as saying in reports that smoke had filled the cabins as the fire spread, causing panic.

All passengers were evacuated with a few sustaining minor injuries. The aircraft was travelling from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.