KOCHI: A Qatar Airways flight from Doha, QR 516, with 306 passengers on board, landed off-centered on the runway at Cochin International Airport here in the early hours of Friday. There were no casualties reported and no flights were diverted. According to airport sources, it was caused by adverse weather build-up immediately prior to touchdown.
The incident happened at 2.19 am on Friday. The weather condition was acceptable when the aircraft commenced approach to the runway, it is reported. Later observation revealed there was a sudden weather build-up on the runway, with heavy rain and crosswind, causing the aircraft to touch down a few metres off the pre-designated central line.
Subsequently, the pilot managed to correct the deviation and the aircraft was brought back to the central line of the runway and to the parking stand. The runway inspection by CIAL revealed the incident caused damage to 12 lights fitted on the right edge of the runway. The debris was immediately removed and the runway was made operational at 3.38 am.
No flights were diverted. A Fly Dubai flight bound for Dubai and Emirates flight bound for Kochi were delayed by a few minutes, sources said. A detailed investigation is being carried out by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Due to this incident, the return flight of Qatar Airways QR 517 from Kochi to Doha was cancelled. All passengers were accommodated in later flights.