Date: August 31, 2024
Place: Kolkata, West Bengal
In a tense incident, an IndiGo flight bound for Bengaluru made an emergency landing at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport just minutes after takeoff on Friday night due to an engine failure, according to a senior official.
The flight, numbered 6E573, took off from Kolkata at 10:36 PM but had to return and land at 10:53 PM after the left engine reportedly failed. Fortunately, no fire or sparks were detected, and all passengers and crew members were unharmed.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) spokesperson stated that a full emergency was declared at 10:39 PM, with both runways at NSCBI airport handed over to Air Traffic Control (ATC) to facilitate the safe landing of the aircraft. The emergency was officially withdrawn at 11:08 PM.
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“It was learned that the left side engine of the aircraft failed after takeoff, necessitating its return to Kolkata,” the official confirmed. The airline later issued a statement, explaining that the flight had returned to its origin due to “technical issues.”
“The pilot followed all necessary procedures and safely landed back at Kolkata,” the statement read. “Passengers were served refreshments, and an alternate aircraft was arranged to continue the flight to Bengaluru. We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers.”
The incident has raised questions about the technical reliability of the aircraft, and aviation authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the engine failure. IndiGo assured passengers that safety remains their top priority and that they are cooperating fully with the investigation.
This incident marks another in a series of technical issues faced by airlines, underscoring the importance of stringent maintenance protocols and quick emergency response.