Mangaluru: Two flights scheduled to land at Mangaluru International Airport were forced to remain airborne for more than 30 minutes on Thursday due to adverse weather conditions and heavy rainfall in the coastal district.
According to sources, both aircraft reached the vicinity of the Kenjaru-based airport around their scheduled arrival time. However, dense cloud cover, reduced visibility, and strong winds prevented the pilots from obtaining a clear view of the runway for safe landing operations.
As a precautionary safety measure, the pilots continued circling over the region until the weather conditions improved sufficiently for landing clearance.
Residents in Vittla alarmed by low-flying aircraft
The prolonged aerial movement of the aircraft created anxiety among residents in the Vittla region, where the flights were reportedly seen flying unusually low for an extended period.
Several residents gathered outdoors after noticing the repeated movement of the aircraft across the cloudy skies. Some locals initially feared that the flights may have encountered technical difficulties, while others expressed concern over the continuous circling amid heavy rain and gusty winds.
The incident comes at a time when pre-monsoon showers have intensified across Dakshina Kannada district, with the India Meteorological Department issuing weather alerts for the coastal region over the past few days.
Flights land safely after weather improves
Airport sources stated that the pilots waited for visibility levels to improve before attempting the landing procedures again. After weather conditions became relatively stable, both aircraft successfully landed at Mangaluru International Airport without any incident.
No injuries or technical issues were reported, and airport operations later continued as normal.
Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds have been affecting several parts of coastal Karnataka in recent days, occasionally impacting road traffic and air operations. Aviation authorities generally follow strict safety protocols during poor weather conditions, especially when visibility around the runway falls below permissible operational limits.
Passengers aboard the affected flights were reported to be safe, and the temporary delay was attributed entirely to weather-related precautions.