An Air India Express aircraft carrying 160 people was forced to make a precautionary emergency landing at Cochin International Airport on Thursday morning after pilots detected a technical snag with its landing gear, officials confirmed.
Precautionary Diversion to Kochi
The flight, operating as Air India Express IX 398, was on its scheduled route from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to Kozhikode in Kerala. During the flight, the crew identified a problem with the aircraft's right main landing gear. As a safety measure, the decision was taken to divert the plane to the nearest major airport with full emergency facilities, which was Kochi.
The aircraft touched down safely at Cochin International Airport at 9:07 AM under full emergency conditions. The airport authorities had activated all emergency services, including fire tenders and medical teams, well in advance as a standard precautionary protocol.
Safe Landing and Post-Inspection Findings
Following the successful landing, a thorough inspection of the aircraft was conducted. A spokesperson for Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) stated that the post-landing examination confirmed the initial concerns. Both tyres on the aircraft's right side had burst. Fortunately, due to the swift actions of the flight crew and the preparedness of the ground staff, the landing was executed without incident.
"All emergency services were activated in advance, and there were no injuries reported among passengers or crew," the CIAL spokesperson emphasized. The safety of all 160 passengers and the crew onboard was never compromised.
Minimal Disruption to Airport Operations
The emergency response and subsequent aircraft recovery were handled efficiently. The airport operator confirmed that the runway was quickly cleared of the disabled aircraft and was released for normal operations shortly after the incident. This ensured that other flight schedules at the busy Cochin International Airport faced minimal disruption.
This incident highlights the critical importance of robust safety protocols and pilot training in Indian aviation. The timely detection of the technical issue, followed by the decision to divert and the successful execution of an emergency landing, prevented a potential accident. Air India Express is expected to conduct a detailed technical investigation into the cause of the landing gear problem and the subsequent tyre failure.
