IndiGo flight makes emergency landing at Nagpur airport due to ‘technical snag’; probe ordered

A Lucknow-bound IndiGo flight had to make an emergency landing at the origin due to a suspected technical snag after take-off from Nagpur, the airline said on Monday. The airline further stated that all the passengers were safe after flight 6E-7074, operating from Nagpur to Lucknow, return to Nagpur airport.

“IndiGo’s Nagpur-Lucknow flight, returned to origin after take-off, following a suspected momentary technical snag, today. The pilots followed the standard operating procedures and returned safely to Nagpur airport. All passengers are safe,” said the airline.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered an inquiry into the emergency landing after smoke was seen coming out of the aircraft, reported ANI quoting a senior DGCA official.

Last week, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed Rajya Sabha in a written reply that the Indian Air Force (IAF) has identified 28 Emergency Landing Facilities (ELF) on highways across the country.

The ministry said that five such ELFs are in Assam, four in West Bengal, three in Andhra Pradesh, three in Gujarat, three in Rajasthan, two in Bihar, two in Haryana, two in Jammu and Kashmir, two in Tamil Nadu, and one each in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

The ELFs, capable of operations by military aircraft,  can also be used for a similar class of civilian aircraft if required.

(With inputs from agencies)