Air India Express flight to Dubai diverted to Kannur in Kerala due to fire warning light in cargo hold; lands safely

Air India Express flight IX 345 from Kozhikode to Dubai diverted to Kannur due to false fire warning light. All 176 passengers onboard safe. Air India Express arranging alternative flight from Kannur to Dubai; Sharjah flight to be utilised. Inconvenience caused; food & refreshments provided.

A Dubai-bound Air India Express flight from the Karipur international airport was diverted to Kannur on September 27 around an hour after take-off following the pilot noticing a fire warning light in the aircraft's cargo hold, airport sources said.

The flight – IX 345 – with 176 people, including the crew, onboard landed safely at Kannur around 11 a.m. and all the passengers are fine, the sources said.

The aircraft had taken off from the Karipur airport at 9.53 a.m. and an hour into the flight, the pilot noticed the warning light and decided to divert to Kannur, the sources added.

Air India Express said the warning light was a false alarm.

"Following a false alarm, our Kozhikode-Dubai flight has been diverted to Kannur. An alternative flight is being arranged to continue the scheduled operations to Dubai from Kannur. Air India Express regrets the delay and inconvenience caused to guests and provided food and refreshments," an airline spokesperson said.

An Air India Express flight from Sharjah which was scheduled to land at Kannur shortly, would be utilised to take the passengers to Dubai, the spokesperson added.