BENGALURU: It was a heart-stopping moment for everyone on board an Indigo flight Tuesday evening when the aircraft, moments from touching down at Indira Gandhi International Airport, suddenly roared back into the sky.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and JDS leader HD Revanna were among the passengers who found themselves in a go-around drama just as the plane skimmed the runway. The abrupt take-off left the passengers in panic, with several travellers later describing the seconds as “horrific”.
The aircraft circled over Delhi and Ghaziabad for seven to eight minutes before making a safe second approach and landing smoothly. The exact reason for the last-second abort remains unclear as it is not known whether a technical snag or delayed clearance from Air Traffic Control forced the pilot to pull up.
One passenger Thyagaraj Puttappa, who was on the flight, recounted the terrifying few seconds: “Our hearts came to our mouths. For a brief moment, family members and family gods flashed before my eyes.” Sharing a lighter moment that broke the tension, he said DK Shivakumar turned to just-awakened HD Revanna and asked if he had any idea what had just happened. Still groggy, Revanna replied, “The plane touched the ground with a thud sound and flew up again.”