"Near-death experience," says passenger; Aircraft declared AOG as over 220 lives escape tragedy
Srinagar: In a harrowing mid-air incident, an IndiGo flight (6E2142) en route from Delhi to Srinagar, carrying 227 people, was caught in a severe hailstorm, forcing the pilot to declare an emergency before safely landing at Srinagar Airport around 6:30 PM on Wednesday.
“IndiGo flight 6E2142 en route Delhi to Srinagar experienced bad weather (hailstorm), emergency reported by Pilot to ATC SXR (Srinagar),”
— Airport Authority of India official
Panic in the Skies: “It was a near-death experience”
Multiple videos surfaced on social media showing panic-stricken passengers reciting religious prayers as the aircraft shook violently mid-air due to the turbulence.
Owais Maqbool Hakeem, a passenger on the flight, posted on X:
“I was in the plane… It was a near-death experience… The nose of the plane is damaged.”
In a follow-up post, he alleged:
“The Nose and Right side of the plane was damaged… We were not allowed to see much as Air Force police was there.”
Flight Declared ‘Aircraft on Ground’ (AOG)
After landing safely, the flight was declared ‘Aircraft on Ground (AOG)’, a technical aviation term used when a plane is unfit to fly due to damage or technical failure. The aircraft has now been grounded for detailed inspection.
Despite the panic and damage, all 227 passengers and crew members were confirmed safe.
Nature’s Fury in the Skies
Wednesday’s hailstorm and turbulent weather over Srinagar are being cited as the cause of the incident. Aviation officials said the pilot followed emergency procedures and coordinated with Air Traffic Control (ATC) to ensure a safe landing.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and IndiGo Airlines are expected to release official statements soon, although there is no confirmation yet on the extent of structural damage to the aircraft.
Social Media Outrage and Calls for Investigation
Netizens have demanded a probe into whether the flight should have taken off in the first place, given the forecast of severe weather over Srinagar. The incident has reignited debate over air safety protocols in extreme weather conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment