Major Scare For Air India Flight As Singapore-bound Aircraft Returns To Delhi Shortly After Takeoff

New Delhi: Passengers on two Air India flights narrowly escaped disaster within 24 hours in Delhi. One plane had to make an emergency landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport after a fire broke out in its APU, while the engine of another plane sucked in a container. Fortunately, no major accident or casualties were reported.

What happened to the Air India flight?

An Air India flight bound for Singapore returned to the national capital late Wednesday night due to a technical snag. According to officials, there were approximately 190 people on board. Officials told the media that said the Dreamliner aircraft received a fire warning in its APU (Auxiliary Power Unit), following which the plane returned to Delhi after being in the air for about an hour.

The passengers were sent to Singapore on an alternative flight. When contacted, an Air India spokesperson said that the operating crew of flight AI 2380 from Delhi to Singapore on January 14 decided to return to Delhi as a precautionary measure shortly after takeoff due to a potential technical issue.

“The operating crew of flight AI 2380, operating from Delhi to Singapore on 14 January decided to carry out a precautionary return to Delhi shortly after take-off due to a suspected technical issue,” an Air India spokesperson said.

“The aircraft landed safely in Delhi. Our ground teams at Delhi extended all necessary assistance to passengers and the flight departed for Singapore on an alternative aircraft. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen situation. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain top priority,” the spokesperson added.

What is the current situation?

The Air India spokesperson also expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to this unforeseen situation. According to information available on the flight tracking website 'Flightradar24.com', the flight, operated by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, was in the air for about an hour and landed back in Delhi around 1 AM on Wednesday night.

What was the other incident?

In another incident, an Air India aircraft sucked a container into its engine at the airport, damaging it. According to media reports, a container was sucked into the engine of an Air India A350 aircraft on Thursday, causing damage to the engine. A passenger on board captured the incident on their mobile camera. Air India has not yet issued a statement regarding this incident.