NEW DELHI: A Spicejet flight from Delhi to Leh with nearly 150 people on board developed an emergency mid-air on Tuesday morning when one of its engines failed.
The cockpit crew decided to return and the flight landed safely at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
An emergency was declared at one of the runways for a short period to facilitate a safe landing.
The Boeing 737-700 aircraft took off at 6.21 am from the runway on Terminal 1 side and returned after 7 am said a source. The flight was steered safely to the airport with the other engine, he said.
In a statement, Spicejet said, "A SpiceJet flight operating from Delhi to Leh on February 24 returned to Delhi after experiencing a technical issue. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, and all passengers were disembarked normally. There was no fire warning in the cockpit."
Delhi airport sources said after the Air Traffic Control System was contacted regarding its return, all the emergency protocols were activated. "An emergency was declared Runway 29L 7R where the flight was to land. Fire tenders were positioned nearby along with ambulances and medical teams. It landed safely and the emergency was lifted."
A source said that since Leh was a defence airport, there are time restrictions in place (Watch Hours) for flight operations. "Flights are permitted operations only from 5 am to 1 pm. A one-hour extension might be given if the airport decides to do so in emergency situations."
Spicejet plans to run an additional flight the following day to accommodate them in case tickets on other airlines are not available presently.
A full refund is available if the passengers prefer it.