Kolkata, India
A full emergency was declared at Kolkata airport on Friday (Aug 30) night after an IndiGo flight bound for Bengaluru experienced an engine failure mid-air. Despite the issue, the plane managed to land safely, and both runways were reopened soon after.
When did the engine failure happen?
The incident involved flight 6E0573, which departed Kolkata at 10:36 pm (local time). Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft's left engine failed, prompting the pilot to return to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
The emergency, which was declared at 10:39 pm (local time), was lifted at 11:08 pm after the plane landed safely at 10:53 pm.
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An airline spokesperson confirmed, "It was learnt that the left side engine of the aircraft failed after take-off as a result of which it had to come back to Kolkata."
This incident comes exactly one week after another IndiGo flight from Bengaluru to Patna had to make an emergency landing in Nagpur due to a passenger’s sudden medical emergency. The passenger exhibited severe symptoms, including intense shaking, loss of consciousness, and body stiffness.
Upon landing, the passenger was rushed to KIMS-Kingsway Hospital in Nagpur, where doctors diagnosed the patient with a seizure disorder and provided emergency treatment.
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In a similar incident in June, a Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 en route from Queenstown to Melbourne made an emergency landing in Invercargill, New Zealand, after one of its engines caught fire.
The New Zealand fire service reported the event, confirming that the aircraft had to divert due to the mid-air fire.
Earlier in March, a United Airlines Boeing aircraft heading to Florida had to make an emergency landing in Texas soon after takeoff when its engine caught fire. Passengers reported seeing sparks from under the left wing near the windows, which were captured on video.
(With inputs from agencies)