The recent incident in Mumbai has raised renewed concerns over aircraft safety during adverse weather conditions
Digital Desk: On the 21st morning, an Air India A320 airplane, flight AI-2744 operating from Kochi in the morning, had overshot the runway on landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, during heavy rainfall. The incident occurred at 9:27 AM IST when the aircraft touched down on Runway 09/27 but veered off course during deceleration. It skidded out of the main runway, onto an unpaved surface, and finally stopped on a neighboring taxiway. Luckily, passengers and crew members were reported safe.
Following the incident, airport officials temporarily closed the main runway (13/31) and opened the secondary runway (14/32) to continue operations. The aircraft, registered as VT-TYA registered aircraft that has been grounded due to a technical inspection. Air India, in a statement, mentioned that its prime concern is the safety of the passengers and the crew.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu addressed in Lok Sabha to report on another Air India air crash on Flight AI-171 that fell on the ground on June 12, just after taking off in Ahmedabad. The tragic crash claimed the lives of all on board except one survivor. The minister has guaranteed the House of a transparent and impartial review being undertaken by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), together with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and technical experts. The end report is still pending.
The latest incident in Mumbai has once again raised the issue of aircraft safety in bad weather. Although no injuries occurred in this accident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is meant to investigate the case to establish some of the factors that contributed to the runway excursion.
Airport operations have since resumed using the secondary runway, and further updates are awaited pending the outcome of the investigation.
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