An Air India Express flight traveling from Saudi Arabia to Kerala was forced to make an unscheduled stop on Thursday morning after pilots suspected damage to the aircraft's tyres. The incident involved flight IX 398, which was on its way from Jeddah to Kozhikode with 160 passengers on board.
Precautionary Landing at Kochi Airport
According to an official statement from the airline, the flight was diverted to Cochin International Airport (CIAL) as a precautionary measure. The decision was made following a suspected tyre issue, which was likely caused by a foreign object on the runway at the point of departure in Jeddah. The aircraft landed safely in Kochi at 9:07 AM.
An Air India Express spokesperson emphasized that the landing was precautionary and not an emergency. "The aircraft landed safely in Kochi, and all guests are being connected to Kozhikode by road," the spokesperson said. They expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and reiterated that passenger safety is the airline's highest priority.
Clarification on Nature of Incident
The airline official provided further details to clarify the situation. Only the aircraft's tyres were affected, with no issues reported concerning the landing gear itself. The choice to land in Kochi instead of the scheduled destination, Kozhikode's Calicut International Airport (CCJ), was strategic. Calicut is a table-top airport, and a precautionary landing with a suspected tyre issue is considered safer at an airport like Kochi, which has different operational characteristics.
Airport's Emergency Response
Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) had activated its full emergency protocols in anticipation of the landing. In their statement, CIAL described the event as a "safe emergency landing" prompted by a technical issue involving the right main landing gear and tyre failure.
A post-landing inspection confirmed that both tyres on the right side of the aircraft had burst. The airport authorities confirmed that there were no injuries among any of the passengers or crew members. Following the landing and inspection, the runway was swiftly cleared and returned to normal operational status.
The airline arranged road transportation for all 160 passengers to complete their journey to Kozhikode. The incident highlights the procedural protocols followed by airlines and airports in India to ensure safety even in situations of potential technical faults.
