Sharjah-bound flight faces glitch after take off, lands in Tiruchy after anxious moments

CHENNAI: A Sharjah-bound Air India Express flight from Tiruchirappalli witnessed a mid-air technical glitch shortly after departure on Friday evening, and later landed safely. 141 passengers were on board.

Shortly after taking off at about 5.30 pm from the Tiruchirappalli airport, the fault related to hydraulic systems, the landing gear, was noticed. 

The aircraft was forced to circle in the sky for over two hours before the pilots made the precautionary landing at the same airport, at around 8:15 pm.

"After reporting a technical snag, the aircraft circled multiple times in the designated area as an abundant precaution to reduce fuel and weight, considering the runway length, before making a safe precautionary landing," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement, clarifying that no emergency had been declared by the operating crew.

An alternative aircraft is being arranged for the passengers, the airline spokesperson added.

Earlier, as part of protocol, several fire tenders, rescue personnel and over 20 ambulances were on standby during the landing. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was also monitoring the situation.

Later, in a statement, Minister of Civil Aviation of India Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed the safe landing: "Following the hydraulic failure reported on Air India Express flight AXB 613, operating from Trichy to Sharjah with 141 people on board, we are relieved that the aircraft has landed safely at Trichy Airport. The crew followed all safety protocols, ensuring the well-being of every passenger during the emergency. The airport and emergency teams responded swiftly and effectively after a full emergency was declared at 18:05 IST. We commend their quick coordination in preparing for the aircraft's landing, which was successfully carried out at 20:15 IST."

He informed that the DGCA has been instructed to conduct a thorough examination of the aircraft to determine the exact cause of the hydraulic issue.

Air India Express has been advised to provide assistance to passengers, including alternate arrangements for their onward journey, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister M K Stalin who had held an emergency meeting with officials, later congratulated the flight captain and crew for the safe landing.

The chief minister in a post on 'X' said: "I am heartened to hear that the #AirIndiaExpress flight has landed safely. Upon receiving news of the landing gear issue, I immediately coordinated an emergency meeting with officials over the phone and instructed them to implement all necessary safety measures, including deploying fire engines, ambulances, and medical assistance. I have also now directed the District Collector to ensure the continued safety of all the passengers and to provide further assistance. My compliments to the Captain and crew for the safe landing."

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)