A Srinagar-bound IndiGo flight from Delhi ran into an unexpected hailstorm mid-air on Wednesday, triggering intense turbulence and distress among passengers. The incident occurred during flight 6E 2142, which was carrying over 220 people. The pilot promptly alerted air traffic control in Srinagar about the emergency. Despite the scare, the flight made a safe landing at 6:30 PM.
IndiGo confirmed that flight 6E 2142 was en route from Delhi to Srinagar when it encountered a sudden hailstorm, leading to turbulent conditions. As per the airline, both flight and cabin crew followed safety procedures. Passengers were attended to upon landing, and the airline assured that their comfort and wellbeing were prioritised.
After landing, the aircraft was marked as ¡°aircraft on ground¡± (AOG), which means it is temporarily grounded due to technical checks and repairs. The airline added that the aircraft would be cleared to fly only after inspection and necessary maintenance.
Visuals that surfaced online show the aircraft¡¯s nose visibly damaged, although IndiGo¡¯s official statement did not elaborate on the extent of harm caused by the hailstorm. At Srinagar airport, authorities confirmed that all passengers and crew were safe.
Passengers who were on the flight described it as terrifying. One of them, Owais Maqbool Hakeem, posted on social media: ¡°It was a near-death experience. The nose of the plane is damaged¡ There was panic and people were screaming. Everyone was scared.¡±
In a follow-up post, he added that the right side of the plane also appeared damaged, but passengers were not allowed to observe further due to the presence of airforce police.
Another passenger, Sheikh Samiullah, shared his experience saying he initially thought it was just regular turbulence. ¡°The pilot asked us to fasten our seatbelts. I¡¯ve never felt turbulence like this before. It was terrifying. I¡¯m thankful to the pilot for landing us safely,¡± he said.
On social media, passengers and netizens praised the crew. A user named @am_aaqib posted: ¡°We had a narrow escape from Delhi to Srinagar flight IndiGo. Special thanks to the captain and cabin crew.¡±
Another user summarised the incident stating: ¡°#IndiGo flight 6E2142 from Delhi to #Srinagar faced a hailstorm mid-flight. Pilot declared emergency; safely landed at 1830 hrs.¡±
One more added: ¡°IndiGo flight 6E-2142 from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence due to a sudden hailstorm, causing significant damage to the plane¡¯s nose cone. Thankfully, all passengers and crew are safe.¡±
All passengers and crew escaped unharmed after a rough flight, thanks to timely action by the IndiGo pilot and crew.
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