AHMEDABAD: An IndiGo flight bound for Diu was forced to abort take-off after a cockpit engine fire alert triggered panic. This near-miss comes just over a month after the deadly crash of Air India flight AI-171, which killed 260 people, including those on board and on the ground.
Flight 6E-7966, operated on an ATR aircraft (VT-IYA), was preparing to take off from Ahmedabad when pilots suddenly received an “engine one flameout” warning.
Reacting swiftly, the crew rejected take-off and brought the aircraft to a safe halt. All 70 passengers and crew members on board escaped unhurt.
The aircraft has now been grounded for detailed checks. Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a formal probe into the incident, aiming to determine what triggered the fire alert.
Reacting on the incident , An IndiGo Spokesperson says, "A technical snag indication was noticed just before take-off on IndiGo flight 6E7966 operating from Ahmedabad to Diu on 23 July 2025. Following the standard operating procedure, the pilots informed the authorities and returned the aircraft to bay. The aircraft will undergo necessary checks and maintenance before resuming operations."
Ahmedabad airport official said, "The flight initially proceeded towards the runway when the pilot identified a technical snag. As a result, the aircraft did not take off and returned to the bay area. There were approximately 50 passengers and four crew members on board. Passengers and crew members are safe. Reports in several media outlets suggesting a fire incident are entirely inaccurate."
This latest scare has stirred fresh concerns about flight safety in the region.
Notably, on June 12, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Ahmedabad to London crashed shortly after take-off. That catastrophic accident claimed the lives of 241 people aboard—229 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots—as well as 19 individuals on the ground after the jet slammed into the BJ Medical College hostel building.
While Wednesday's incident ended without casualties, the proximity in time and geography to the Air India disaster has amplified scrutiny on aviation safety protocols in Ahmedabad.