Chennai: A Full Emergency was declared at Chennai Airport on Tuesday night after an IndiGo flight from Kolkata reported a problem with its left engine shortly before landing.
IndiGo flight 6E-723, operating from Kolkata to Chennai, was carrying 224 people when the airport activated emergency response arrangements to facilitate its safe arrival.
Aircraft lands safely despite engine issue
According to Chennai Airport authorities, the aircraft reported a left engine inoperative condition. The Full Emergency was declared at 11.29 pm, shortly before the aircraft’s expected arrival.
The flight landed safely on Runway 25 at 11.37 pm, seven minutes after the scheduled arrival time. The Full Emergency was formally withdrawn at 11.47 pm, following confirmation that the aircraft had landed safely.
Airport operations subsequently returned to normal.
The incident triggered the airport’s emergency preparedness measures, with necessary response teams placed on standby for the aircraft’s arrival.
Air India flight incident under investigation
The Chennai incident comes amid continuing scrutiny of another recent aviation incident involving an Air India flight.
On August 4, Air India flight AI2379, operating from Phuket to Delhi, experienced a sudden altitude change during its journey. Reports said several passengers and crew members were injured and received medical attention after the aircraft landed safely in Delhi.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the incident and has urged that conclusions should not be drawn before the evidence is examined.
The incident has also drawn attention to the mandatory post-flight psychoactive substance testing of the crew. Reports on August 11 said the pilot-in-command’s confirmatory test was positive for marijuana, prompting further regulatory scrutiny.
The two incidents have once again placed aviation safety and emergency preparedness in focus, even as investigators continue to establish the precise circumstances behind the Air India occurrence.