In a dramatic incident, a FedEx Airlines' Boeing 763 cargo plane was forced to make a belly landing at Istanbul Airport on Wednesday morning. The harrowing video footage captured the plane skidding down the runway on its belly and nose after its landing gear malfunctioned.

According to a Turkish Transport Ministry official, the nearly 10-year-old freighter jet had radioed ahead for permission to carry out the emergency landing as it approached Istanbul from Paris. The video showed the aircraft initially landing on its functioning rear wheels, before slowly lowering to a horizontal position and tipping down on its nose without any front wheels supporting it.

As the damaged plane continued down the runway, thick smoke billowed from flames ignited by the friction. Thankfully, the flames did not escalate, and the aircraft eventually came to a halt. Emergency vehicles quickly arrived on the scene, having been put on standby following the prior request for a belly landing.

The Turkish transport official confirmed that the cabin crew successfully evacuated the plane without any injuries. Istanbul Airport was temporarily closed as authorities promptly moved the damaged nearly 10-year-old Boeing 767 freighter off the runway. The cause of the landing gear failure is currently under investigation, as stated by the Turkish Transport Ministry.

This incident occurs during a time of heightened scrutiny for Boeing, with multiple whistleblowers coming forward to accuse the aircraft manufacturer of lax safety standards and inadequate regulatory scrutiny in the wake of several incidents. In June of last year, a Delta Airlines Boeing 717 also made a successful belly landing without its nose gear in Charlotte, North Carolina. That incident was later attributed to a fractured component.

Boeing has referred all queries regarding Wednesday's emergency landing to FedEx. The company stated that it is actively cooperating with investigation authorities and will provide additional information as it becomes available.

As the investigation unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and security of future flights, and addressing any potential issues that may have contributed to the landing gear malfunction of the FedEx cargo plane.