What was supposed to be a regular flight turned into a terrifying incident for 168 passengers travelling from Guwahati to Chennai on June 21. IndiGo Flight 6E6764, an Airbus A321 aircraft, took off from Guwahati at 4:40 pm and was supposed to land in Chennai at 6:45 pm. However, just as the flight was about to land, the pilot decided to divert to Bengaluru. Before reaching the Bengaluru Airport, the pilot also issued a Mayday call, the highest level of emergency signal used in aviation.
IndiGo Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Bengaluru
The Airbus A321 aircraft, operated by IndiGo, flew smoothly until it was time to finally land in Chennai. The pilot even attempted to make the landing. However, just before the wheels touched the ground, the pilot aborted.
When the pilot decides not to go ahead with the landing and climbs back in the air, it is called a baulked landing. After this interrupted attempt, the pilot didn’t try to land in Chennai again; instead, he diverted the flight to Bengaluru. And while it was headed towards the Kempegowda airport, the pilot noticed that the fuel on the plane was running low. According to the Times of India reports, the pilot issued a Mayday call when the IndiGo flight was only 35 nautical miles away from Bengaluru. He declared an emergency because of an unstable landing approach and low fuel levels.
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Pilot Declares Mayday Over Low Fuel
Naturally, after the landing attempt was aborted in Chennai, passengers on the flight were left confused and scared. According to the Financial Express, as soon as the Mayday call was received, the Bengaluru Air Traffic Control took swift action. Emergency response teams (medical team, ground staff, and firefighters) were immediately sent to the runway, all set to handle the situation.
Fortunately, the IndiGo flight landed safely at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, all 168 passengers were safe, and no injuries were reported. The quick thinking of the pilot and an immediate response from the airport teams avoided a potentially dangerous situation. Especially in light of the recent Air India flight crash, this incident also brings attention to the importance of passenger safety and proper planning.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Ravi Dwivedi