An Air India Express flight had to make an emergency landing at Tiruchirappalli airport in Tamil Nadu on Friday evening. The flight took off from Trichy airport for Sharjah at 5:43 pm but encountered a technical issue soon after takeoff. The pilot reported a hydraulic failure, which could affect the control of important parts of the plane such as the landing gear, brakes, and flaps.
The airport director assured that there was no need to worry and that the flight would be able to land safely. The airport prepared for a potential belly landing, where a plane lands without using its landing gear, but the flight was able to land normally as the landing gear deployed successfully.
The authorities considered fuel dumping to make the plane lighter, but this option was not chosen as the plane was circling over residential areas. As a precautionary measure, ambulances and rescue teams were on standby at the airport. Videos from the airport showed people cheering as the flight made its landing on the airstrip.
“The Ministry of Civil Aviation has confirmed that Air India Express Flight IX 613 from Tiruchirapalli to Sharjah landed safely at Tiruchirapalli airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) monitored the situation, as the landing gear was opening. The flight landed normally, and the airport was put on alert mode.”
The Chief Minister, MK Stalin, praised the captain and crew of the Air India Express flight for safely landing. He expressed relief at the safe landing and mentioned that upon learning about the landing gear issue, he promptly organized an emergency meeting with officials over the phone. He instructed them to take all necessary safety measures, such as deploying fire engines, ambulances, and medical assistance.