NEW DELHI: A total of 227 passengers on board an Indigo flight from Delhi had a miraculous escape after encountering an unexpected hailstorm enroute to Srinagar on Wednesday evening. The nose cone of the aircraft has suffered massive damage with a gaping opening on it.
Flight 6E 2142 had departed from Terminal 1 of Delhi's IGI airport at 5 pm. Dust storms and heavy rain lashed the city later. It landed at Srinagar at 6.45 pm, a delay of 15 minutes.
A video released by a passenger showed sudden flashes of lightning with screams of passengers, particularly children.
A passenger Jeetendra Rana posted thus: The sky wreaked havoc on Indigo flight – the nose cone of the plane was shattered by the hail. But the pilot overcame fear, defeated death, and landed the flight safely on the ground. It was a flight of courage – the storm was defeated, we won.”
In a statement, IndiGo said, “Flight 6E 2142 operating from Delhi to Srinagar encountered sudden hailstorm enroute. The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar.”
The airport team attended to the passengers after arrival of the aircraft, prioritising their wellbeing and comfort. The aircraft will be released post necessary inspection and maintenance, the airline added.
Ten incoming flights to Delhi airport were diverted due to heavy rains, said a spokesperson of Delhi airport. “Nine of them have been diverted to Jaipur and one to Mumbai. There was no impact on outgoing flights,” he said.
Indigo was unable to provide any details on the specific damage to the aircraft.
