A Srinagar-bound flight from Kolkata made an mergency landing at Varanasi airport Wednesday evening after the pilot reported a suspected fuel leak, PTI news agency quoting officials.
According to sources, a malfunctioning sensor may have triggered a false fuel leak alarm, prompting the precautionary landing. However, Gomti Zone Police said flight 6E-6961 was diverted after the pilot detected a possible mid-air fuel leak and alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Assessing the gravity of the situation, the pilot promptly contacted Air Traffic Control (ATC) in Varanasi and requested permission for an emergency landing, officials said.
The Airbus A320neo aircraft safely touched down at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at 4:10 pm, according to police. All 166 passengers on board were safe and escorted to the arrival hall shortly after landing, they added.
A technical team inspected the plane to determine the cause of the issue. Authorities described the situation as “completely normal and under control.”
In a statement, IndiGo said: “Flight 6E-6961 operating from Kolkata to Srinagar made a precautionary landing at Varanasi due to a suspected technical issue. As a safety measure, the aircraft has been grounded for checks, and an alternate aircraft arranged to continue the journey.”
–With PTI inputs
