Air India Express aircraft makes emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport; all 156 passengers safe

The Air India Express flight IX 540 from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram developed a technical snag but was able to make a safe landing, say airport sources

A full emergency was declared at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on February 19 after an Air India Express flight from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram developed a technical snag in the functioning of the nose wheel of the aircraft. The aircraft IX 540 with 156 people onboard including crew made a safe emergency landing at the airport by 5.40 a.m.

According to the airport sources, the pilot of the aircraft requested the air traffic control unit to make an emergency landing. The airport authorities responded swiftly by taking all emergency measures given the nature of the problem. The runway was cleared for emergency landing and the plane reportedly made a safe landing.

The aircraft was later towed away from the runway to the parking bay after all the passengers were disembarked. All the passengers were safe during the landing and no flights were diverted.

Soon after the emergency landing, the emergency was withdrawn and air operations were declared normal by the airport authorities. The aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will hold an investigation into the incident. There was no immediate comment from the Air India Express on the incident.

Last week, a 34-year-old trainee pilot flying a Cessna-172 R aircraft had a miraculous escape after the aircraft veered off the runway during take-off at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on February 8. The aircraft dropped from around a height of five feet and veered off the runway, ploughing through the open ground adjacent to the runway before turning it upside down.